


with the exception of you - larry - 1950s au

by kenthedoll



Series: greaser fic [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 1950s Slang, 50s Greasers, Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Angst, Attempted Murder, Bad Boy Harry, Blackmail, Bottom Louis Tomlinson, Cheating, Death Threats, Domestic Violence, Drinking, Drug Dealing, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fist Fights, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, Greaser Harry Styles, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Infidelity, Internalized Homophobia, Louis Has An Eating Disorder, M/M, Marijuana, Minor Character Death, Religious Beliefs, Rumbles, Self-Defense, Soc Louis Tomlinson, Swearing, Top Harry Styles, Underage Drinking, brief mention of dealing coke, church boy Louis, greasers vs. socs, i think (i hope) that's it...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 14:58:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 36
Words: 137,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20259973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenthedoll/pseuds/kenthedoll
Summary: Los Angeles in the 50s was the era of greasers and socs (socialites). They never quite got along, and due to the not-so-accepting timeframe, Harry and Louis had to keep their relationship a secret. They hid it well.. or so they thought.→ A greaser vs. soc fic set in The United States, 1959-1966. Where Harry is a greaser and Louis is a soc.→ They meet at a drive-in movie theater and the rest is history.→ Harry's an asshole, but Louis loves him anyways.Loosely inspired by shows and films like Grease, The Outsiders, Riverdale, etc.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> THIS STORY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM MY WATTPAD ACCOUNT (@ ken-the-doll) BECAUSE OF WATTPAD'S INCREASING RESTRICTIONS

"_Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world... and she walks into mine_."

**-Casablanca (1942)**

**\---**

** _[1959]_ **

"Quit hogging all the weed!"

"I'm not! I only got one hit!" Harry exclaimed because he thought Zayn was being unfair. Even so, he handed the half-smoked joint over to Zayn and let him take a drag. Josh just laughed as Harry rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Babe, you've gotta share," Perrie exited the kitchen with a hair tie stretched around her manicured fingers. She had her hair tied up in a high pony and grabbed a can of hairspray from the coffee table to make sure there were no little hairs sticking up all over the place.

Zayn inhaled joint smoke and scrunched up his face before he glanced over Harry's shoulder and grinned.

"Matty's here," Perrie announced. She wrapped her arms around Zayn's shoulders from behind so she could gently take the joint from his fingers. Zayn stood then and walked over to the door to meet their eldest friend.

Harry turned in his spot on the sofa to look out of the window. Pulling up onto the driveway, was a familiar, shiny, black Pontiac GTO. Josh's face lit up and he hopped to his feet to join Zayn at the door. Matty was the only member of their crew with a car like that. 

When his parents passed and left their money for him in their will, he used it to buy himself and his girlfriend a house and a car.

Zayn ripped the door open and Josh smiled brightly when they met Matty outside.

"What's up, Matty?" Josh greeted and pulled him in for a short hug. "I see the ride is still bangin'," he said, about to run his fingertips over the smooth black surface before Matty swatted his hand away.

"Ah! Don't touch!" he said quickly, so Josh looked to his shoes. "C'mon, man, you don't see me rubbing all over _your_ car!" Matty added.

"Because I don't even _have_ a car," Josh huffed, before giving Matty's car a longing look. "It's just so damn shiny!"

Zayn rolled his eyes at Josh before turning his head at the sound of Harry's voice.

"Damn, Matty. Every time I see your ride pull up, my heart starts jumpin'!" he smiled brightly and patted his own chest for good measure.

"Don't be stupid, Harry. Yours makes all the girls weak in the knees," Matty said sarcastically before he playfully punched Harry's shoulder. Harry didn't have a car either.

"Wish we had a car like that," Perrie spoke once she stepped into the close-knit circle of friends. "What ever happened to the Camaro you were gonna get, Harry?" she asked. Zayn subconsciously wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her hair.

"I spent all the money I had saved on that party we had last month," Harry smirked not-so-modestly. If there was one thing Harry loved more than alcohol, weed, and his friends, it was that Camaro. But he was put in charge of party supplies that night, so he splurged a bit more than he probably should have.

"Well, you'd better get it soon!" Matty said and Josh raised a curious brow at that.

"Why?"

"You squares really haven't heard yet? They opened up that drive-in everyone's been going ape shit about," Matty said. Then he pulled out his pack of Marlboro's and placed a cigarette between his lips. He lit it with his Zippo as the rest of the group teemed with excitement about the new drive-in theater.

"We have to go!" Josh exclaimed with the biggest smile on his face. "That place is gonna be aces, I tell you! Aces!"

"If you all had your cars, this would've been a great chance to show them off," Perrie spoke up. "I know Zayn's been dying to get a Mustang."

"Hell yeah I have," Zayn nodded in agreement.

"Then let's go check this place out!" Josh said and he seemed the most excited of the six of them.

"You just wanna hit on the babes," Matty chuckled at his younger friend.

Harry and Josh were the youngest, and also the only single members, of the small gang of greasers. Josh was much more of a flirt and a little more desperate compared to Harry, who was with a new girl (or guy) every other night without even really trying.

That had become part of his reputation, but Harry really didn't give a shit about what other people thought of him, and that was part of what made him so appealing. Josh had always sort of envied that about the older boy.

"And what's wrong with that?" Josh asked, incredulously. "I haven't had a good fuck in ages!" he exclaimed, and they all just laughed along with him. He was right; The last time he got any action, was last spring when he broke his collarbone crashing into a lamp post on his dad's motorcycle.

Josh had been drunk of course and definitely not in the right state of mind, but as soon as he was out of the hospital, he was back to laughing it up and making memories with the group; Like the Josh they all knew and loved. 

Despite how much they picked on him, they had grown even closer to him since the accident. It was a wake up call to say that your friends could disappear at any moment. So they all loved him that much harder.

"Regardless of how small Josh's dick is--" Harry joked and wrapped an arm around Josh's shoulders.

"Hey!" Josh pouted.

"--we should still go out and get him laid," Harry continued before he rubbed his knuckles back and forth over the top of Josh's head, giving him a noogie, "because those are the kind of friends we are!" 

He laughed when Josh playfully pushed him away and crossed his arms in mock-offense.

"Come on, man, lighten up!" Matty chuckled, pinching Josh's cheek and making him smile.

"Well then, it's sorted!" Perrie clapped her hands. "Let's go!"

**\---**

The sun was setting on the horizon and the sky was becoming darker by the minute. They had to push a few tree branches out of their way and their shoes scuffed up dust from the ground as they walked. They were taking a secret route to the drive-in theater because they didn't have enough to buy all of them a ticket.

"What movie is it again?" Zayn asked while they walked along the gravel pathway.

"Some horror film," Josh answered. Then the crew paused and waited beside the wooden fence of the drive-in, so he lit the cigarette that was placed between his lips. He took a drag before continuing, "supposed to be real scary."

"I'll be the judge of that," a voice sounded off from behind the gang, making everyone turn their heads.

"Hello, Sky," Josh stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched her make her way into Matty's arms.

"Hi, babe," Matty possessively wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple, making sure Josh saw. It's not that he wanted to make the younger boy jealous or sad, but Josh _definitely_ had a staring problem when it came to blondes, especially Sky.

She had straight, bleach blonde hair, and a bad-girl attitude. She wasn't mean, she was simply blunt, and Matty loved that about her. They were quite similar to each other: badass, intimidating, but somehow still laid back and cool. It's quite possibly one of the reasons Matty and Sky were deemed the "leaders" of their group.

Since they were the eldest of them all (being twenty while the others were just over eighteen), Josh would always make jokes about the couple being the gang's parents.

For Josh, being the youngest meant he got away with a lot more than Zayn or Harry did, and he was a nuisance at times, sure, but they still loved him like family.

"You think it'll be any good?" Perrie asked.

"Hopefully," Sky replied before she took a drag off of the joint Matty had been holding, "otherwise I would've wasted my time in coming here."

They noticed the "no smoking"sign plastered on the fence and decided to have a quick cigarette break before they made their way over the old wooden fence that separated the place from the outside world.

It wasn't that they really cared about breaking some rules, they just didn't want to deal with the people that would surely be enforcing those rules upon them if they did break them.

Once their joint roaches and cigarette butts had been tossed into a burn barrel, they moved to sneak into the drive-in by climbing over the fence.

Josh complained about a splinter getting caught in his thumb when he made his way over first. Matty rolled his eyes at this and easily lifted Sky by her hips to assist her over the wood. Once she was on the other side with Josh, they both made sure to keep an eye out for any security that might've seen them. Josh may or may not've taken the chance to give Sky a sly little once over while Matty couldn't see.

With the darkness of the night falling upon them, along with the shade from the trees, they were all able to make it over undetected. Some people were already in their seats, or sitting in their parked cars, waiting for the movie to begin. The neon lights on the small concession building flickered on like they would every night from then on, giving the moviegoers the ability to see while they made their way up to the building for snacks.

Most people were there with dates and Josh was getting antsy because the first thing he spotted when he looked over at the crowd of viewers was a group of socs.

**(****A/N:**"Soc"_ is pronounced _"so-sh,"_ like the first syllable of _"social." _Watch the movie _**The Outsiders**_ for future reference._**)**

Josh coughed, gaining the rest of the gang's attention, and casually nodded his head in the direction of the socs.

Harry's jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. _Of course they beat us here_, he thought to himself as they walked over to a few empty seats. He was glad he grabbed his black leather jacket at the last minute because the night grew colder as it did darker.

Sky scoffed because the last remaining lawn seats were directly behind that exact group of socs. "Good on us for being late," she grumbled to the crew. Matty nodded in agreement and pursed his lips at the mild annoyance.

Josh leaned over to whisper to Harry, "want some?" He offered the older boy his silver flask with a smug grin.

"Did you really have to ask?" Harry teased. He accepted the flask and took a drink. Then he shivered for a moment while the alcohol slipped down his throat. He could feel the warmth of it tingling in his fingertips.

He momentarily watched the socs converse with each other. _Probably over something irrelevant_, he guessed. Socs were obsessed with status and labels, just as most of L.A. had become accustomed to. But as he thought it over, Harry remembered one of the main reasons most greasers and socs never really got along was that socs liked to jump greasers for sport.

Greasers never went out of their way, deliberately looking to beat the living hell out of any passing soc. A lot of them had much bigger fish to fry. A greaser couldn't even walk down the street by themself without getting thrown dirty looks at the very least. If you ever caught a greaser beating a soc, it was highly likely that the soc brought it on themselves. 

Even though they never prioritized violence against the socs, it was still fun for the greasers to mess with them, annoy them, and get a rise out of them whenever they could.

Little pranks or sly remarks would be made, and the way a soc would be so quickly offended always gave Harry a good laugh. Sure it was immature, but it was also pure comedic gold, in their eyes.

There was a couple sitting directly in front of Harry and Josh, which had the pair of greasers exchanging mischievous looks. Josh winked at Harry before tapping the girl's shoulder. She turned around and immediately scoffed. "Ugh, greaser," she huffed and turned her attention back to her date.

"Oh, come on, girl!" Josh said with a teasing smile. "Don't be like that!" he said. Harry laughed along with him.

"Yeah, it's all good! We're just trying to have a good time!" Harry leaned forward in his seat so his head was between the girl and her date's shoulders.

"Ignore them, El," the boy beside her spoke in a soft, slightly higher-pitched voice. "They're just trying to get a rise out of you. Dirty greasers," he grumbled. He definitely didn't have the most intimidating voice around, but even so, something about it made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand on end.

"Hey, we're not dirty!" Josh said in mock-offense. "We all lick each other clean every morning!" he looked over at Harry who was smiling along with him. They both proceeded to spit on one of their palms and shake hands, laughing at the way the couple visibly cringe.

"Disgusting," El shook her head because she wouldn't be surprised if Josh wasn't kidding.

"Want some, girl?" Harry waved his spit covered palm in her face.

"Listen, hood!" the boy in front quickly turned around in his seat, glaring directly at the green-eyed greaser. Harry was forced to take note of the boy's chiseled cheekbones, his thin pink lips, his cerulean blue eyes, and his feathery caramel hair. "Quit bothering my girlfriend or we're gonna have a problem."

Harry blinked, bringing himself back to reality just to smirk at the boy. "Ooh. Tough guy, aren't ya?" he ruffled the boy's hair and he almost (almost) shivered at the soft feeling of it. "Protecting your girl, yeah? What's your name, soc?" Harry asked, hoping to put a name to the gorgeous face he was looking at. He took another swig from the flask as he awaited the answer.

"Louis," the boy replied with a huff. "Now, please shut up. The movie's starting," Louis turned back around to face the large movie screen. A few minutes later, Louis absentmindedly placed his arm on the back of El's chair to which she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Aww, look at the cute little socs gettin' all snuggled up," Josh whispered not-so-quietly.

"Shh!" a blonde soc turned around this time with his brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Don't pay them any attention, Niall," another brunette guy piped up from beside him.

"I wasn't, Liam. They're just being loud," the blonde crossed his arms and settled in his chair. Josh thought he might have recognized that brunette soc from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Liam gave Harry and Josh a cold glare before turning his attention to the girl sat beside him. He whispered something to her and shortly after, she giggled and glanced back at the single greasers.

"Somethin' funny?" Josh looked directly at her, but she turned back around and didn't look at them again. "That's what I thought."

Harry just shook his head at the exchange with a laugh. Within an hour, the blonde soc was asleep in his chair and the two soc couples beside him were kissing, along with Perrie & Zayn and Sky & Matty.

"Sucks bein' single, don't it?" Josh slurred quietly. They were practically forced to watch Matty and Sky's tongues swirl around one another.

He looked away with a disgusted shudder and Harry just shrugged. "Not really. I couldn't imagine being tied down to one person. Little Harry likes variety," he patted the crotch of his own jeans.

"Well Little Josh just wants to get fuckin' laid," Josh grumbled and Harry patted his shoulder.

"The time will come, my friend," he assured, just as an awful slurping sound came from the couple sucking face in front of them. "No audio, please," Harry said with a drunken giggle and then the couple pulled away from each other.

"You're just jealous you're not getting any," El said.

"What makes you think I can't?" Harry smirked and raised a teasing brow.

"Oh, please," Louis spoke up again, much to Harry's internal delight, "you're not exactly James Dean. I'd like to see you try to get laid with all that grease in your hair."

"Is that a challenge?"

Josh was sitting at the edge of his seat. Harry was always so good at getting a rise out of people.

"It's not a challenge, it's the truth," Eleanor said and Harry just laughed.

"Oh, El. Sweet, sweet, El," he said, patting her head like she was an innocent child before she raised her own hand to swat his away. "You don't even want to know how many notches I've got in my belt."

"You're right. I don't," she replied. 

Louis laughed and added, "'cause it's probably in the single digits."

Josh even laughed at that one to which Harry glared at him. "Shut it, Josh. The only times you've gotten laid are the times I've hooked you up."

Josh's laugh was silenced and he looked to his feet, outwardly embarrassed.

"I bet I've gotten more play than you, pretty boy," Harry aimed at Louis and if it wasn't for the fact that he had been drinking, he probably would've just left it at that. "Let me guess; You're both virgins, you've both given each other promise rings, and you're both waiting 'til _after_ marriage to fuck for the first time. Missin' anything?"

Louis visibly cringed but Eleanor just rolled her eyes. "At least we'll be doing right by God. Unlike you, who'll be rotting in Hell along with your _greaser_ friends."

"Just like you and your friends beat greasers' asses just for fun? That doin' right by God?" Harry seethed and Eleanor was about to reply when Louis suddenly blurted something.

"I'm gonna go get some popcorn."

He looked physically distressed. His eyes flashed between Harry and Josh before he stood up and began speed walking toward the concessions.

"Popcorn sounds pretty great, actually. I'll come with!" Harry said, a bit over-excitedly. He stood then to follow along.

He stood in line behind Louis even though he didn't plan to buy anything. In fact once the soc was finished at the register, Harry reached over his shoulder to grab a piece of popcorn, scaring Louis half to death and making him drop the bag. Everyone around them was staring in concern while Louis just closed his eyes and sighed audibly.

"Would you like another bag, sir?" the lady behind the counter asked, but Louis just shook his head.

"No, it's fine. I wasn't really that hungry anyway," he said softly. Then he walked away from the scene, with Harry of course following. Louis opened the door to the mens' restroom and sighed once he realized no one else was there. He heard the click of the lock on the door and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He heard Harry's footsteps slowly creeping up behind him and he stood still, just waiting for Harry to jump him, to beat the living shit out of him, but he didn't.

In fact what happened next was something he _never_ saw coming.

Louis was turned on his feet and pushed against the wall, gasping as he felt a warm pair of hands on his hips and soft lips on his jaw.

"W-What the hell are you doing?!" Louis said, wide-eyed and flustered. His hands moved to Harry's chest.

"Not so tough without your friends, are ya?" Harry kissed and nipped at the soft skin of Louis' collarbones, making him moan quietly. Louis didn't know how exactly he should've reacted, and he figured just standing there wasn't the best idea, but for some reason he felt his jeans growing a bit tighter.

Louis swore he felt the slightest drag of something metal against his throat while Harry's tongue and lips and teeth formed another small bruise near his Adam's apple, and if he was being completely honest, _it felt pretty fucking good_. 

Once he was finally able to ground himself back into reality, he realized the impurity of the sinful things he began to think about, and immediately tried to prevent any more of those impure thoughts from surfacing in his mind.

That's when Louis finally pushed Harry away from him. "I have a girlfriend!" he whisper-yelled exasperatedly while he smoothed out his (now wrinkled) button-up. Louis was doing his best to convince both Harry and himself that his loyalty to his girlfriend was the reason he couldn't accept such affectionate advances from anyone else, let alone _another_ _man_, and _especially _not a _greaser_.

"She doesn't need to know," Harry shrugged and leaned in again before Louis' hand was gently pushing Harry's face away.

"And I'm not gay!" Louis added. His hands were balled up into fists at his sides, however, he was unable to look up at the greaser in that moment, and it was pretty obvious why.

"That's not what your dick says," Harry tutted as he glanced down at Louis' obvious hard on.

Louis' cheeks turned a bright red and he pulled the hem of his shirt down to cover his tented slacks.

"Have fun getting rid of it," Harry shrugged. He walked over to the door and unlocked it but before leaving, he turned back to tell Louis, "oh and uh, I'd button up your shirt a bit more. Wouldn't want your girlfriend seeing what I've done." 

He stuck out his tongue, revealing a tiny piercing (which had Louis gaping) before leaving and returning to his seat outside. Louis stood there for a while and tried to wrap his head around what had just happened before he walked over to the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He quite literally gasped and covered his mouth with his hand when he saw the dark red marks that were, slowly but surely, fading into a deep purple.

Louis curiously ghosted his fingertips over the skin there and it raised with goosebumps. He sighed then before he buttoned his shirt all the way up to the collar. It was a little tight on his throat, but he decided that was more bearable than his girlfriend finding the marks.

He felt conflicted and found it a bit odd that he was more worried about hiding the marks on his neck than he was upset that a greaser put his filthy hands and mouth on him.

He splashed some water in his face to rid the thoughts of Harry from his head before exiting the bathroom and walking back out to his seat. Louis watched Harry converse with Josh, as if nothing had happened between them in the mens' room two minutes beforehand, then returned his seat next to Eleanor.

"What happened to the popcorn?" El asked when he wrapped an arm around the back of her chair.

He couldn't tell her what had really just happened, so he came up with the best excuse he could come up with on the spot, "oh, sorry, I got a bit hungry." Louis attempted to laugh it off, but Eleanor furrowed her brows.

"Maybe you shouldn't eat so much," she told him and Louis felt his self confidence drop once she added, "you're gonna get fat."

Louis forced a smile anyway and nodded in agreement, even though all he wanted to do at that point was run home to his room. "You're right, babe. I should watch my weight," he dropped his palm over her shoulder. "You're so smart and caring... always looking out for me."

He turned his head back to look at Harry and see if the boy had been listening in on their awkward exchange, but to Louis' surprise, the greaser's attention was elsewhere. The way that Harry didn't pay him any more attention for the rest of the night had Louis' blood boiling for some inexplicable reason.

But he didn't want Harry's attention anyways.

_He needed it._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew Liam Payne's annual spring break party would change so much?

"_I know that getting you alone isn't easy to do. With the exception of you, I dislike everyone in the room_."

**-Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You by, Arctic Monkeys**

**\---**

On a Friday (the first day of spring break), Louis walked home with his sister Charlotte, or as she liked to be called, Lottie.

They were close in the sense that they were siblings and lived in the same home under the same roof, but they were very different in many different ways. For instance, since they were only one year apart, they were often given the same responsibilities; chores, babysitting, house sitting, etc. The only difference was that their parents, Lana and William Tomlinson, trusted Louis with more than they trusted Lottie.

Louis couldn't even remember the last time he was grounded, but it seemed that Lottie was grounded every other weekend for getting low grades, sneaking out, lying, or all of the above. Louis didn't even want to think about sneaking out, because his curiosity would get the best of him and he'd end up in deep trouble.

So he distracted himself by studying or going on dates with his girlfriend Eleanor. School, date, home. That was Louis' routine every day of the week. Weekends were his time to do whatever he wanted, and he usually ended up out somewhere with Eleanor (again), or at his friend Niall's house.

Liam was usually busy every day, therefore if he was able to hang out, he'd walk home from school with Louis and Lottie and leave when the street lamps flickered on. Since Liam didn't walk home with him, Louis assumed he wasn't available. But he remembered a party Niall told him about that was going on that night. Apparently Liam was throwing his yearly Spring Break party, but since they were seniors this year, it was supposed to be bigger than ever.

"Tomlinson" was painted in cursive writing on the sides of their mailbox, next to the perfectly square-cut hedges, right in front of the white picket fence that surrounded the property. Louis opened the box to retrieve the mail from inside. There was a magazine, a few adverts, and an envelope addressed to a "Mr. William J. Tomlinson" from what Louis assumed to be the law firm his father worked for.

"Who's the letter for?" Lottie asked, peering over Louis' shoulder and trying to get a good look at the envelope.

Louis nudged her away before holding the envelope up to the sun. The light it produced revealed the long rectangular dollar bills inside and Lottie's eyes widened with delight as she snatched the mail from Louis' hand and ran through the gate. She immediately closed it behind her and Louis huffed as he had to push the gate open again in order to chase her inside.

"Lottie! Give it back! That's for dad!" Louis huffed and pulled off his messenger bag before tossing it onto the couch. He walked over to his sister who was already tearing into the paper encasing the money. "Lottie! What are you doing?!" he asked and he watched her pull out a few bills before stuffing them in her pocket.

"What dad doesn't know won't hurt him," Lottie shrugged and set the opened envelope on the counter. Then she walked off as if nothing had happened.

"Dad's going to notice the bills are gone!" Louis called after her in annoyance.

"Not my problem!" Lottie giggled and ran up the stairs before slamming her bedroom door shut.

Louis sighed and rubbed his face while he stared down at the torn envelope. He reluctantly pulled out his wallet and replaced the stolen money with his own so his father wouldn't notice. His father was a lawyer and a damn good one at that. He worked hard to provide for his large family and put three meals on the table a day. He deserved every penny he earned and in that moment, Louis felt ashamed to share the same blood as his thieving little sister.

He taped up the envelope and set it in on the coffee table in the living area where his father always relaxed after a hard day of work. Louis really loved his parents and he loved to show how much he appreciated everything they gave him, unlike Lottie who'd just take and take and never give back.

Louis made sure his chores for the day were finished and that the house was tidy before he made his way up to his bedroom and began his homework. It was just a simple worksheet and he burned through it in no time. He'd had straight A's since preschool and he planned to keep it that way throughout high school.

Louis was a senior and Lottie was a junior. Their younger sibling Félicité was a freshman. Phoebe & Daisy (the identical twins) were in middle school, and the toddlers, Ernest & Doris (a 2nd set of fraternal twins), weren't quite old enough to be enrolled yet.

Louis' mother, Lana, was a blues singer in a lounge downtown. She sang beautifully and put her talent to good use while Louis was growing up. She would sing him to sleep and hum little tunes while she dressed him up for school. Lana was a great mother and Louis loved her more than anything. Even his girlfriend of three years.

He loved Eleanor as well, but he was definitely a mama's boy. His love for others couldn't compare to the love he had for his parents. They gave him everything he had and he always strived to be the best son he could possibly be.

Once he was finished studying for the day, he returned his books to his bag and proceeded to clean his room. There were only a few articles of clothing strewn on the floor and his sheets needed changed, but it didn't take him very long to complete the task.

He sat at the edge of his bed after replacing the sheets and stared at himself in the body mirror on his wall. Louis had been wearing button ups all week because of what that greaser did to him at the drive-in the weekend before. Since then, every single time Louis got dressed, he was immediately reminded of the curly haired boy with dark, mysterious green eyes, tattooed flesh, and that damned tongue ring of his.

He felt impure whenever he ran his fingers over the fading purple marks. He hadn't seen the greasers since that night and he literally prayed that he wouldn't run into them again. So far he'd been able to avoid them, and he hated that he was reminded of the boy whenever he changed, because his palms would sweat and his pants would become tight.

Louis would remind himself to think of Eleanor and their future together instead of the greaser because he shouldn't be getting a... _you-know-what_... while thinking of another man. 

_That was wrong... right?_

Louis knew it was, but how could something so _wrong_ feel so _right_?

**\---**

"Damn it!" Harry exclaimed and threw the tire iron he was holding to the cement floor of the garage with a loud clank. He wanted to punch the car he'd been working on, but he knew he'd have to fix that as well.

Harry and Josh worked at an auto repair shop as grease monkeys. They'd worked there all day, everyday, since the day they dropped out of high school. Like Louis however, the weekends were their time to kick back and do whatever they wanted.

"Fuckin' bolt won't come off," Harry grumbled aloud. He had been trying to change out a flat tire while Josh worked underneath the car on a roller board. He slid himself out from under the vehicle and sat up then. He blindly reached for a rag to wipe his hands off and stood up to check out the bolt. After a short moment of assessment, Josh determined it was simply a stubborn bolt. 

"Try heating it up and using a little oil to loosen it," he advised as he carelessly tossed the rag behind himself.

Harry sighed audibly and wiped his hands on his ratty overalls before turning to look at Josh. "What the hell are we still doing here?" he asked rhetorically, and then he looked at his watch. "It's getting dark out, and here we are on a Friday night, a couple of young, hunky bachelors working on some old pickup truck while the rest of the world is out partying," Harry rambled before picking up the tool box and setting it in its place on the shelf.

Josh shrugged and ran a hand through his hair as he simultaneously grinned at Harry's comment. "We're working so we can afford goin' out to party... buyin' a Debbie a drink, you know? Stuff doesn't come cheap anymore unless you're stealin' it."

Harry bounced his eyebrows in agreement and said, "ain't that the truth." He walked over and pulled the shop keys from their hook on the wall. "Well, what d'ya say we close up shop and go crash some house party?" he asked before walking out of the shop and holding the door open expectantly.

Josh was out of his overalls and throwing on his leather jacket in the next minute.  
"Thought you'd never ask," he smirked and popped his collar in place. Then he was running past Harry to get outside first, "I know the perfect place, too! Let's go make a scene!"

Harry grinned and soon after he locked up the shop for the night, he slipped the keys in his pocket, and playfully chased Josh to the end of the street. Harry cupped his hands around his lips when they reached the crosswalk and howled like a wolf as they waited for the cars to pass.

Josh laughed and punched Harry's bicep, to which Harry pushed him over in retaliation. "Hush. You're ruining the peace here, wolf boy," Josh said with a chuckle. "What all are you trying to do tonight, anyway?"

"I wanna get hammered drunk, listen to some good rock n' roll, and hopefully get laid," Harry stuck his pierced tongue out at him.

"No need for a visual there," Josh laughed when they finally began to cross the street. Once they reached the other side, Josh walked backwards in order to face Harry. "Lucky for you, I happen to know a place where you could do _two_ of those three things. Bangin' is up to you and whoever else, though."

Harry smiled brightly then and his brows raised at the news. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Take me to this heavenly place!"

So Josh led Harry down the block, and as they walked, the scenery changed drastically. They walked from the slums in the south and further north into soc territory. Harry didn't say anything because Josh didn't. That was until he stopped in front of this huge mansion-like building and Harry gaped in realization.

"Okay, what the hell are we doing _here_?" Harry asked. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes, selected one and placed it between his teeth, before he offered one to Josh.

Josh placed it between his lips that stretched into a smile upon hearing Harry's question. "I know a guy. He's like the son of the mayor or some shit," he waved it off and waited for Harry to raise his lighter.

"You know Mayor Payne's kid?" Harry asked in disbelief, but it sounded more like a statement than a question really. He pulled out his Zippo and held the small flame between the two of them, to which Josh leaned in and they both lit their smokes with the same flame.

Josh shrugged and leaned back while he inhaled, then blew the smoke from his nose like a baby dragon. "Yeah, we've seen each other at the gym a couple times. It's not like we're best friends or anything, though."

Harry nodded and took a drag before blowing the smoke into the air. The sun was setting and it was pretty warm outside despite the fact that it was a little windy. "He's cool though, right? He's not gonna freak out about a couple of greasers crashing his boujee house party?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "I don't really know why you care, but to keep your panties from twisting, I was allowed to bring a friend."

Harry rolled his eyes in return and shook his head as he walked up to the gate and pushed it open. "Let's go then. A beer sounds gas right now."

Josh took one last hit before tossing his cigarette on the ground and stomping it out. He led Harry up the front steps with a hopeful smile. "So, Harry. Since I'm helping you get in, does that mean you'll maybe help me out in return?"

Harry shrugged and carelessly put his own cigarette out on the massive stone column just outside the double front doors. "We'll see," he said. "If this party really is full of socs, I might not even have that much luck myself."

Josh nodded, even if he knew Harry could get laid just about anywhere, at just about any time. Harry was extremely attractive. Even a guy as straight as Josh could see that. He easily shrugged off those thoughts however and pushed the doors open.

Harry followed him inside and his jaw dropped when he looked around at the house's interior; Dark wood floors, black leather couches, a glass coffee table, a beautiful brick fireplace, and a large set of marble stairs toward the back of the house. A chandelier hung above the living area, and all of this was just what he could see from the foyer.

Harry had to close his mouth to keep himself from drooling.

"Goddamn," Harry said to himself. He felt extremely out of place, but he wasn't going to let that get him down. Josh chuckled and nodded in agreement with Harry's reaction. He bobbed his head at a few passing greasers who had also managed to worm their way into the place.

"What d'ya think?" Josh asked Harry as if the place were his own.

"I think I told you that you could bring _one_ friend, not the entire city's oil slick."

Josh turned and dropped his arms with a sigh when he was faced with Liam Payne. "Hey, I _did_ only bring one. The rest found their own way in," Josh raised his hands to express his innocence.

Harry metaphorically bit his tongue when Liam called them oil slick. All the name-calling had gotten old pretty fast.

Greasers mostly got picked on because they weren't as rich as the socs. That was one of the only reasons why there was ever a feud between the cliques; Some were rich, some weren't, and that apparently meant they weren't allowed to get along. Even though not every soc was rich and not every greaser was poor.

Either way, none of it made any sense to Harry.

"Sorry. Oil usually collects together in one big messy puddle," Harry spoke through gritted teeth, but kept a warm smile on his face in order to make it seem like he was joking. Liam must've bought it because he laughed along with him. "So where are all the babes?" Harry changed the subject, because Liam clearly didn't care to hear anything the two greasers had to say.

"Probably out back where the real party is," Liam muttered. Then, as if on cue, he moved toward the back doors.

"What are we waiting for?" Josh asked rhetorically before clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder. The two of them followed Liam's move into the back garden.

"Dude, look," Josh took note of the waiters carrying drink and snack trays to and fro. Harry snagged two tall glasses from a passing tray and handed one over to Josh who sniffed it before taking a sip. He hummed in content at the new taste, "it's bubbly."

"It's champagne, you spaz," Liam rolled his eyes before walking away to strike up a conversation with his fellow wealthy peers.

Josh cradled the elegant looking glass in his hands, and having never tried champagne before, he watched the small bubbles quickly make their way to the top and sighed. 

"You going to ditch me?" he asked Harry.

The older greaser looked around, contemplating his choices while sloshing his drink around for a short moment. "Depends. I don't know anybody here and I'm not gonna get very tipsy off this bubbly. So I'll probably stick around," he nodded. 

But that was before a few more people joined them out back and Harry spotted a familiar face in his peripheral. Vibrant blue eyes locked on his green and Louis' seemed to flash with something undecipherable before he looked away to reply to his girlfriend.

"I take that back, I can't make any promises," Harry told Josh with his eyes fixed on Louis' body. The soc and his friends walked around the large fountain in the middle of the garden, presumably looking for their friend, Liam.

Josh followed Harry's gaze and rolled his eyes when he saw the twinky soc from the drive in. He groaned and turned to face Harry, "really? You're leaving me for a _soc_? You could at least stop eye fucking him in front of me," he complained and set his glass down.

"Sorry, man. There's just something about him," Harry said with his eyes still fixed on the boy. "I can't explain it," he shrugged before downing the last of his champagne. "I'm real gone," he tells Josh, and if eyes could be hearts, Harry's would be.

Josh's brow furrowed a bit upon hearing this, "are you being sappy? Did I really just hear you say all that?"

"Cool it," Harry blushed and shook his head, finally managing to remove his gaze from the soc. "What, did you expect me to follow you around all night trying to catch you some tail?"

Josh huffed and shook his head, "I'm gonna try my luck on my own then. Have fun."

With that, Josh walked back into the house, leaving Harry on his own, surrounded by socs.

Harry honestly felt pretty bad for upsetting his friend, but he couldn't get himself laid if he was busy worrying about someone else's sex life. He took another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and gulped it all down. Not that it would really affect his blood/alcohol level any, but it gave him the smallest amount of confidence to walk over to the blue eyed soc.

Louis had his arm wrapped around Eleanor's waist in a respectful manner. She giggled about something Niall had just said and kissed Louis' jaw softly. Louis had just recently come to the realization that her touches and kisses didn't really effect him the way they used to. What used to flutter the butterflies in his stomach, was now just another casual touch. He smiled however at the affection from his girlfriend, and continued to converse with the blonde boy, because this was what he knew to be normal and right.

Harry strode over to the small group of socs and playfully punched Louis in the bicep. "Hey there, Clyde. What've you been up to lately, bud?" he asked, obviously just messing around.

Louis flinched at the random touch and grimaced when he saw the greaser. 

Eleanor also had a soft scowl on her face. "What are you doing here?" she put an expectant hand on her hip.

"How do you know I don't own this place?" Harry asked but Eleanor just rolled her eyes in return.

"Oh, get bent! This is obviously Mayor Payne's mansion," she pointed over to Liam. "That's his son Liam, who also happens to be our best friend," she replied as-a-matter-of-factly and Harry nodded understandingly.

"Right," he coughed as he was caught a little off guard and ran a hand through his slick hair. "Well, what gives you the right to be here and not me?" Harry crossed his arms as he awaited a reasonable answer that he was certain would never come.

"I doubt a greaser would even be invited to something like this," Eleanor scoffed.

Louis pulled her a little closer by the waist in order to try and get her to calm down a bit. He wasn't trying to cause a scene or a fight, especially not at the Mayor's house. "What she means, is that this is _Liam's_ party, and as far as we know, Liam doesn't know you."

"You're two for two," Harry clapped Louis on the back before turning to point to his friend, Josh, who had wandered back into the garden upon meeting another greaser. "You see that square over there with the buzzcut and tattooed arms?" he asked the group.

"He's a friend?" Niall chimed in after being uncharacteristically silent.

"That guy's been my best friend since the diaper days," Harry turned back to them. "He's cool with that Liam guy, therefore I'm here as his plus one."

"Oh, so he can do math," Louis muttered under his breath which had Harry's smile falling.

Niall lightly elbowed Louis in the ribs and nodded in Harry's direction as if to tell him he was being rude. "That's gas," Niall told Harry then. "I think it's good that, as the mayor's son, Liam is getting along with everyone."

"See? This guy gets it," Harry smiled even if he knew Liam didn't give two shits about him or Josh, or any other greaser for that matter. Regardless, Harry moved to Niall's side and wrapped a friendly arm around the boy's shoulders. "What's your name, dude?"

"M'Niall," he answered with a friendly grin. "You?"

"Harry," he smiled and even went so far as to shake Niall's hand. Eleanor just scoffed at the small exchange. Socs weren't exactly known for being openly touchy with people they didn't know very well. Niall Horan seemed to defy a lot of typical soc stereotypes.

"When do you think was the last time he washed his hands?" El whispered not-so-quietly to Louis. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Is she always this big of a bitch?" Harry rhetorically asked Niall, whose eyes widened as he tried not to laugh. "Oh, would you look at that, I can gossip as well."

Eleanor gaped and Louis finally directed his attention toward Harry. "That's my girlfriend you're talking about, hood. What do you even want? Why are you even here with us? We don't want to be seen with you."

Niall took a step away from Harry then, with his lips pursed tightly, and tried his best not to get in the middle of the rising conflict.

"Hey man, I don't care who you are. If you're rude to me, I'm rude to you," Harry raised his hands as if he were innocent. "Be nice to nice."

"Still didn't answer my questions," Louis crossed his arms challengingly.

Harry had to refrain from smirking at the way Louis looked at him in that moment.

"Well my friend, I don't want anything from any of you. I'm here because I can be, and will continue to be, until I decide to shake some gravel."

Niall stifled his uncontrollable laughter into his hand by making it seem like a cough. The silence in the group was heavy and the tension was thick until Louis scoffed and hooked his arm in with Eleanor's. "Let's just go somewhere else. This place is big enough." 

With that, Louis lead Eleanor back inside.

Harry sighed then and wandered over to another waiter in order to grab another glass of champagne. He sipped from it as he approached Josh.

"It seems that although I can't get drunk off champagne, I _can_ scare away potential hookups," he laughed self-deprecatingly before downing the rest of his drink and setting the glass on the stone of the fountain beside them. "But that boy... is truly something off the silver screen," he wiped the champagne from his lips, "and I'm gonna make him mine. One way or another."

Rolling his eyes, Josh finished his glass and sighed. "He looks so _uptight_... like he's got some sense of entitlement about him. I didn't think you had a thing for that type," Josh laughed and Harry just shrugged. "Why don't you try being a little less... _greasy_?"

"I don't have any other way to be," Harry shrugged yet again and crossed his arms in thought. "I'd usually just go after another greaser, but it's getting kinda old. The thrill of the chase is pretty much dead! I want a challenge and that's exactly what he gives me," he explained with a determined sparkle in his eyes. "I get this rush in my veins whenever he shoots me that glare of his. I've got it bad, dude."

"Yeah, you do. I'm tying my noose just listening to you gush over him," Josh looked around the garden and then glanced back at Harry expectantly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get him."

"If I fuck up, I'll be back," Harry laughed before entering the house. It took him a while to find the couple, but soon enough he spotted them, and he decided to try a new approach when he walked up to the couch they were sat on. "Hello, again."

Eleanor looked up at him and immediately got up. "I need to go freshen up," she said with a tone that was borderline contempt. Louis looked somewhat helpless as he watched his girlfriend go. His eyes slowly met Harry's after and he shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Harry sat on the armrest, with his shoes carelessly pressing into the couch cushion, and he looked down at Louis. "Look man, I'm sorry I insulted your girl," he apologized and tried really hard not to smile while he did so. "I just really don't appreciate her attitude, you dig?"

Louis gave a tight smile, "it's mutual, I'm sure." He wrapped his arms around himself and glared down at Harry's dusty shoes on the couch cushion.

Harry didn't want to make things worse by replying with something along the lines of "_she started it_," so he decided to change the subject instead. "Anyways..." he began again, "we got off on the wrong foot, and to be fair I am in your territory, so I should probably watch myself before I get jumped," he laughed and habitually ran a hand through his hair.

Louis swallowed hard and he'd never admit it, but he watched the way Harry's muscles flexed under his clothing, and the way a pair of dimples formed in his cheeks alongside his Cheshire Cat smile. Louis shook those thoughts from his head and cleared his throat. "Yeah," he chuckled with him. "Wish I could say that was just a joke," Louis said sympathetically and then his irises flicked up to meet Harry's.

The greaser bounced his brows in agreement and silently admired the sound of Louis' laugh. "And about the drive in a few days back..." he sighed, and he was just about to apologize for what happened, until he noticed the way Louis' shirt had been buttoned all the way up to his throat the entire evening. "I see you're still covering up those marks," Harry couldn't help but smirk and reach out to play with the collar of Louis' shirt.

Louis gasped but the air got caught in his throat. He instinctively pushed Harry's hand away and covered his collar with his own. "I didn't exactly appreciate that; Getting love bites from someone that isn't my girlfriend. There has to be something against that, you know."

But as much as Louis hated to admit it to himself, he had grown to admire the way the red/purple splotches looked against his skin, as well as the thrill of having a secret to keep which made him feel a bit more alive.

"As if she'd even consider putting her lips on anything other than your own," Harry laughed and hid his mouth with the back of his hand while he did so. "When was the last time you two had more than just a kiss?" he asked and when Louis stayed silent, Harry shook his head in disbelief. "Never? Just as I thought," he smirked. "Waiting for your honeymoon?"

Louis' face turned a bit red. "Why is it any of your business when I have sex with my girlfriend?" he asked defensively. "I'm also not really interested in getting Chlamydia or any other STD I'm sure you've had."

Harry raised his brows at that, though he should've expected to hear something like that out of a socs mouth. "You're probably right," Harry teased and leaned in to whisper jokingly in Louis' ear, "I'm just disease ridden," making him shiver. Harry smirked then and stood from the armrest to steal a potato chip from a bowl on the coffee table.

Louis pursed his lips and put his shaking palms together between his thighs, unsure as to why he was suddenly so nervous. "Is that s-something to be proud of?"

Harry shrugged simply, chewing and swallowing before answering with, "I mean, it was a joke, so..."

Louis let out a shaky breath and rolled his eyes. "Wasn't very funny, you know," he huffed.

Harry groaned into a smile. "Let loose every once in awhile, will you?" he chuckled and moved to sit on the coffee table directly in front of Louis. "Don't be so uptight all the time. It's not healthy."

"Excuse me for not having a good sense of humor, then," Louis picked his feet up, toed his shoes off, and sat criss-cross on the couch to make room for Harry's giraffe legs.

Harry shook his head. "You're fine. It's just funny to see you with your feathers all ruffled up," he winked.

Louis' lips parted but he closed them in defeat a second later. "It's not funny," he slid his sweaty palms down his thighs.

Harry looked behind Louis then and caught Eleanor glaring at him while she talked with a few of her friends. He resisted the urge to flip her off and chose to focus back on Louis instead. 

"So, what's it like?"

When Harry had looked up and behind him at Eleanor, Louis took advantage of the angle and gazed at his strong jawline. His stomach flipped and his heart sped up again. Then he saw Harry's lips moving and swallowed to shake himself from his wandering thoughts, "pardon?"

"To be with her?" Harry clarified. He glanced up at Eleanor again before looking back at the boy in front of him. "What's it like?" he repeated the question, not having noticed Louis gazing at him.

Louis sighed and shrugged then, not even knowing where to begin. "It's..." he thought for a moment about his relationship as of late, and decided, "it's the usual, I suppose..."

Harry raised a brow at that and glanced at the boy's neck, subconsciously wondering what the marks looked like since that night at the drive-in. "You don't seem too confident with that answer," he pointed out before looking down at Louis' legs. Harry admired the way Louis rolled his pant legs up so that they were cuffed just above his ankles.

The soc sighed and shrugged again. "It's good... my relationship is... why do you even care?"

"I dunno. Just felt like getting to know you better, I guess...? who knows, we could end up the best of friends, you and I," he laughed and playfully smacked Louis' knee.

Louis laughed along with him, but he still didn't know if he could even trust Harry. "I seriously doubt that," he sighed softly and Harry's shoulders visibly sagged. "Thanks for "caring" anyways."

Harry shrugged it off and attempted to playing it cool, but ended up confessing, "well you know, no one really cares about me, so I might as well start caring about other people, right?" he even chuckled to make it seem like he was just joking. "You drink?" he changed the subject suddenly and stood up before Louis could even think of a response.

Louis felt taken aback by Harry's seemingly rhetorical question and bit his lip to hide a sympathetic frown. "Occasionally," he then answered Harry's question about his drinking habits.

"Well, I for one feel like getting shit-faced," Harry reached down to pick up Louis' shoes and hand them to him. "You in?"

Louis turned to look behind himself and didn't see Eleanor anywhere. _She probably went out back with her friends_, he thought. He was also sort of concerned by how relieved he felt as he thought that. "Not really in the mood to get wasted... but you're company, and it's not safe to get blind drunk alone." 

So Louis proceeded to slip his shoes on.

"Shall we?" Harry smiled down at the boy.

Louis stood, straightened out his clothes, and walked past Harry without a second glance. He walked right out the front door without glancing back as he assumed Harry was following. Harry lagged behind slightly just so he could admire the way the boy looked as he walked away from him.

Once outside, Harry found Louis waiting for him by the cooler on the lawn. He was also holding a beer bottle for himself.

Harry looked down at all of the other beer bottles in the cooler and shrugged. "Eh... beer doesn't really do much for me nowadays," he said and in the next second, "let's go for a walk. I'll find something along the way." He smiled and nodded his head away from Liam's house, silently suggesting for Louis to follow him. "I'm sure El won't mind you slipping away for a few."

So Louis walked with Harry, and a little while down the block, Louis twisted the cap off his bottle and gulped down a good third of his beer. "Damn greasers..." Louis shook his head at the taste, "you always have to act so tough?"

"Says the one who basically just chugged a beer," Harry shoved his hands in his own pockets as they walked side by side down the street. The cool April air was getting warmer as the seasons changed and Harry loved it. "It's nice out here," he commented and took a long breath of the fresh air.

Louis looked up from where he was minding his steps and saw a softer side of Harry for the first time. It made his heart swell and his lips subconsciously form a smile. "Yeah... you know, I really love spring."

"Me too," Harry nodded before pulling out his cigarette pack and placing one of them between his lips. He was about to light it when he remembered Louis didn't smoke, and politely proceeded to ask, "d'you mind if I uh...?"

Louis' nose scrunched slightly as he thought about what his parents would say if he came home smelling of cigarettes. He shrugged, "I'd prefer if you didn't to be honest, but if you have to..."

Harry nodded respectfully and placed the cigarette back in the pack, and once the pack was returned to his pocket, Louis took another sip of beer before asking, "why do you smoke?"

Harry shrugged for what felt like the millionth time that evening. "It uh... it just takes the edge off," Harry said, and he hoped that would've been enough of an explanation, but Louis' curiosity proved him wrong.

A blank look crossed Louis' face. "The edge?"

Harry nodded and scratched the back of his own neck. "It's complicated," he gave a half-smile and looked down at the sidewalk while they walked.

Louis nodded slowly and inhaled deeply through his nose to take in the fresh air. "So why are you really hanging out with me? I didn't really take you as someone who would voluntarily leave a party."

Harry shrugged (as he was one to do) and glanced up at the stars that began to appear as the sun set. "Felt like going for a walk. It's nice out," he said simply and glanced over at the boy. "You didn't look like you were having the time of your life, either."

It was Louis' turn to shrug then. "Parties have never really been my scene, but everyone keeps throwing them, so here I am..." he said with a slight raise of his arms as if to show that even he didn't know why he chose to go to them. "Plus, Eleanor loves a good party. Who am I to deny her that?"

Harry nodded, somewhat understandingly. "I know it's really none of my business, but your _entire_ relationship seems to only revolve around what _she_ wants."

Louis momentarily shook his head in confusion, but he had to admit he was curious to hear Harry's reasoning, "what makes you think that?"

Harry smirked then, as if the answer was obvious. "Because if you had it _your_ way, you would be back there with _her_ instead of out here with _me_; A complete stranger and a _greaser _to boot!"

"Maybe I wanna be out here with the big bad greaser," Louis said with a playful smirk of his own. "Maybe I want to know more about you, too. You think way too surface level, Harry."

Harry was about to respond, when they came across a familiar gas station. "One second," he said and held up an index finger as he began to walk up to the store. "Keep walking. I'll catch up," he winked before disappearing inside the store.

Louis furrowed his brows and his pace faltered for a second. He couldn't guess why Harry needed to go in the gas station right then, but he was also trying not to seem like he cared about the greaser so much. He also didn't want to end up wandering off too far alone, so he stopped and waited for Harry at the end of the block.

A few moments later, Harry came sprinting up behind him with a bottle of Vodka. "Go! Go! Go!" Harry shouted to him and laughed the entire way down the block, even as the clerk came outside to shout after him.

"I'm onto you, Styles!" the man yelled out and Harry laughed breathlessly at that.

"Maybe next time, ol' man!" Harry called back to him and earned a knowing head shake from the clerk before he huffed and walked back inside the station. Harry slowed to a halt with Louis after they ran for a few blocks. "Sorry about that," he apologized to the soc and by then he was panting even though he still had the biggest smile on his face.

Louis opened his mouth to make a remark before he spotted the bottle of vodka tucked beneath Harry's arm. His jaw dropped and he smacked Harry's bicep. "Did you just steal?!" he asked incredulously. "You can't steal that! Oh, my God. I'm going back to pay for it," he said with determination and he turned around to walk back to the station.

Harry rolled his eyes fondly and stepped in front of him. "It's not the first time I've stolen something from the place, Louis. The guy knows me. He doesn't care as long as he doesn't catch me, and he hasn't caught me yet."

Louis huffed and turned back to keep walking in their original direction. "Can't believe you stole," he grumbled distastefully and crossed his arms.

"Are you really mad at me?" Harry asked. He stepped in front of Louis again and walked backward so he could face him. "It's not that big of a deal. It's just one bottle," he chuckled.

Louis rolled his eyes, "it's nothing, hood. Doesn't matter anyways," he sighed.

Harry paid no attention to the name he was called. He just returned to Louis side and smiled before he wrapped an arm around the shorter boy's shoulders. "C'mon, Lou. Lighten up. We didn't get in trouble, did we?" he asked rhetorically. "Plus, now I can actually get drunk."

He unwrapped the top of the bottle and unscrewed the cap. He took a swig and grimaced at first, letting it burn his throat slightly before he took another drink. "Want some?" Harry offered.

Louis looked at the bottle and shrugged before taking it from Harry's hand. He took a swig and instantly regretted it. His mouth and throat were on fire but he didn't want to let it show. Unfortunately as soon as he swallowed, some of the alcohol burned his nose, and he went into a coughing fit. "That is _terrible_! Do you love your taste buds? Let me answer for you: _no_."

Harry laughed so hard, he doubled over. "Well, you just gulped hard liquor without a chaser," he took the bottle back so he could take another drink. "You get used to the burn after a while," he assured, and he was about to take another swig before he smiled brightly and began pointing. 

"Up there! Let's go there!" Harry beamed like a toddler as he pointed to a tree that sat atop a steep hill to their left. Harry was already halfway up the hill by the time he looked back to see Louis just standing there on the sidewalk.

"What are you worried about? Grass stains?" Harry chuckled and then he remembered just who he was talking to; A soc. "I mean, you could sit on my t-shirt..." Harry offered casually and before Louis could respond, he moved to grab the collar of his white shirt and pull it over his head.

Louis carefully began to scale the hill and gratefully accepted Harry's shirt once he reached him. "It's cold though, isn't it?" he asked softly and he averted his eyes from Harry's bare, tattooed chest.

"I'm used to it," Harry assured and continued upward before turning around to face Louis again. "You good?" he asked, wondering if Louis needed any help scaling the hill.

Louis felt his head spin as the alcohol finally started to take effect, but he could still manage. "M'fine. I can get up myself," he replied. Though if the circumstances were different, he would've gladly accepted Harry's helping hand.

Harry nodded and made it the rest of the way up the hill before sitting down in the soft grass, not even caring if his blue jeans were now stained green from the grass. The sky was dotted with stars and a crescent moon was shining bright on it's way up. Harry took another swig of the vodka and felt a bit tipsy as he laid back and smiled in content.

"It's beautiful."

Once Louis laid the shirt down and sat on it, he heard Harry's comment and looked up as well. Among the darkness of it all, he could see deep shades of purples and blues in the sky. His pupils tripled in size while he watched the stars glimmer.

"Wow," was all Louis could say.

Harry turned his head and stared fondly at the boy. "Yeah... wow," he hummed while he watched the wind blow throughout Louis' feathery hair.

Louis looked down at Harry then, though he didn't catch the fondness in Harry's eyes at first. His gaze trailed down Harry's chest once more and he turned to fully face the green eyed greaser. "Tattoos?"

Harry smiled and sat up slightly, resting on his elbows. "A lot of them don't have meanings," he admitted and looked down at his skin as if he'd forgotten he even had any ink. "Most of them are for my family," he said and then pointed to the cursive letters on both of his shoulders. "The "G" is for Gemma, my sister. The "A" is for my mom, Anne."

In a bit of a daze, Louis found himself reaching out to touch one of the tattoos. Harry just smiled as he watched Louis brush his fingertip over the "A" before he realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back. "So... a family guy, huh? Wouldn't have really expected it," he said casually, and his face felt a little hot, so he turned away to take another swig from his beer.

"Just because I'm tough, doesn't mean I don't care about my family," Harry chuckled softly. He grabbed the bottle of vodka from the grass and smiled over at Louis. "What about you? You have any ink?"

Louis shook his head quickly, and without much thought, he replied, "oh, no. Those things give you a bad image."

"Thanks," Harry sighed. He didn't let it get to him though because, again, he expected such things from a soc. He just laid back down and looked up at the leaves on the tree. "Sometimes it's better to be feared than loved," he said softly.

Maybe the alcohol wasn't such a good idea after all.

There was a silence between the two then and Louis felt the heaviness of Harry's words in his chest, but he didn't understand completely. Being liked was such a big part of Louis' life. 

He bit his lip and decided to move closer to Harry, laying down next to him in the grass. "I don't agree with that 100%," he started softly, "I feel like you use your fear as a wall because you're scared of not being loved."

Harry felt the warmth of Louis' arm against his own and that same feeling from the drive-in came creeping back up his spine. "You're drunk," Harry said simply, even though he knew he wasn't too sober himself.

Louis grinned at that and looked over at Harry. Their faces were only a few inches apart. "Shh, no one but us has to know," Louis giggled and Harry wished he could hear the sound on repeat for the rest of his life.

Harry bit his lip and turned onto his side so he could rest on his forearm. He looked down at Louis and gently reached to fix a loose strand of hair in his fringe. Then he leaned over the boy so his hands were in the grass to either side of Louis' head and surprisingly, to Harry, the soc didn't protest.

"No one but us," Harry smiled. He glanced down at the boy's lips, then back up into his eyes. "Us," he dipped his head down and lightly kissed along Louis' jawline, "I like the sound of that."

Louis held his breath when Harry's lips met his throat and he put his hands on Harry's bare chest. "I still have marks," he whined, though he wouldn't really complain if Harry created more. 

The only real downside he could think of, would be hiding them from his girlfriend; His girlfriend who he probably should've been concerned about, but in that moment, he wasn't. She probably didn't even notice his absence.

"Maybe I should hide them better?" he suggested and kissed all the way down to the buttoned collar of Louis' shirt. "Haven't seen that body of yours," he slurred. He kissed back up to Louis' ear and momentarily nibbled on his lobe. "But I'd bet you're golden and gorgeous," Harry hummed in a husky tone.

Louis' head spun but he put his arm over his own waist insecurely. "Golden and gorgeous?" he squeaked at the compliment, not used to receiving them. His brows raised a little and he shook his head, "n-not really." All the things Eleanor had ever said about his appearance rushed back into his mind and he forced a smile as usual. "Let's not," he laughed it off and prepared to sit back up.

Harry frowned and was clearly a little tipsy when he sat back on his calves. "What are you talking about?" he asked and his brows furrowed in confusion, but he scooted a little closer to Louis. "You're gas," he looked directly into Louis' eyes without faltering.

Louis' face heated up a little more, if at all possible, and he bit his lip in thought. Harry seemed pretty drunk. _It's not like either of us will remember any of this anyway_, he thought.

Louis smiled a little, which Harry took as a victory. "You're drunk," Louis sighed, but proceeded to grab the vodka bottle. He cringed after he downed another sip of the horrid substance and shook his head. "Doesn't get better as you go," he coughed.

Harry smiled fondly (unable to keep from doing so it seemed) and slowly pushed the bottle away from Louis' mouth before replacing it with his lips. They moved slow and steady against Louis'. "No more of that crap about not having a nice body," Harry said against his lips. "I haven't seen all of you and I doubt you'll ever let me, but from what I can see, your body's bangin'."

Harry pulled away then, not wanting to overwhelm Louis the way he did when they first met.

Louis' shivered slightly and swallowed around the faint burn in his throat. He was just about to make some witty comeback, when he heard a honking sound from the street behind them, and Harry sighed. Luckily, they were elevated from the street's view, so when Louis looked over the crest of the hill and found that the car contained a drunken Niall and a pissed off Eleanor, he was really glad they couldn't see the top of the hill.

"Louiiiis!" Niall slurred as he hung out of the passenger side window. "It's time to go hooome!" he called up to him. Eleanor's jaw clenched but her eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead. She had a fingertip on her temple as she sat, waiting impatiently for Louis to get in the car. She wasn't even going to bother telling him off in that moment, she was so frustrated with him.

Louis stood then, after taking in Eleanor's angry demeanor, and sighed. He ruffled his hair and hiccuped adorably. "I've got to go now... but thank you. I needed this," he nodded sincerely before bending down to pick up Harry's grass-stained shirt. He balled it up and handed it back to the greaser with a grateful smile.

Harry returned the smile and accepted his shirt. He unrolled it and tugged it over his head before smoothing it out over his torso. He didn't even care about the grass stains. He just really didn't want Louis to go. "Sure thing," Harry shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, even though he wouldn't admit that Louis was becoming a big deal to him.

"You'll make it back to your friend safely, right?" Louis looked up at the older boy. He didn't want to leave Harry either, if he was being completely honest.

Harry's brows furrowed and he shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about me," he chuckled softly and played with the neck of the vodka bottle.

"I don't worry about you, hood," Louis teased and glanced down at the ground with a bashful smile.

"Sure," Harry returned the smile with a shake of his head. He liked to think Louis worried about him. But he also didn't like to get his hopes up.

Another honk from the car below had Harry rolling his eyes and Louis growing anxious.

"Goodbye," Louis hummed and quickly pecked Harry's cheek before beginning his descent down the hill.

Harry blushed and brought his fingertips up to feel his cheek. He shook his head from his thoughts and called out to Louis, "hey, wait!"

Louis turned back, only having been a few feet down the hill. He tried not to seem so excited that Harry called out to him.

"I'll see you again... right?" Harry bit into his lower lip with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Louis gave a few little nods as if he was thinking it over. "Maybe. Maybe not," he teased and the smirk on his face indicated that Louis knew exactly what he was doing to the greaser.

"Cool," Harry mirrored his smirk and Louis continued down the hill. Harry watched him climb into the backseat of a pale blue Buick Roadmaster and disappear once the car took off down the street.

Harry sighed and kicked over Louis' empty beer bottle before plopping back down onto the grass. He laid down and tried not to think about how the stars in the sky matched the ones in Louis' eyes.

Eventually, he fell asleep under the tree with the vodka still swimming around in his head.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home is where the heart is...

**[TRIGGER WARNING]**

"_Everybody's got a hungry heart._"

**-Hungry Heart by, Bruce Springsteen**

**\---**

Harry made his way to Matty's one day.

He took a street car with the last bit of his money and he wasn't too surprised when he saw Matty's Pontiac parked out in front of the house. Oh, how Harry longed for a car like that.

From the outside, it seemed like any other ordinary suburban home, however, it wasn't in the suburbs. It was downtown, squeezed between two tall apartment buildings. Harry simply let himself inside because he'd been there a million times. Harry and Matty had been friends for as long as the both of them could remember; Back before Matty began running a tattoo parlor from his home.

Harry was greeted with silence at first, until Sky peeked her blonde head around the corner of the hallway to assess who exactly had just walked into her house. "Oh, hey, H," she chirped with a smile and disappeared behind the wall again in order to call Matty's name.

Harry didn't realize just how grass-stained his white shirt was until he took it off again and tossed it onto the couch beside the door. "Matty in?"

Sky joined him in the front room again, simultaneously pulling her messy hair up into a ponytail as she sauntered into the kitchen.

"He's just waking up. Want some coffee?" Sky asked while she poured water into the maker.

"I'm good, thanks," Harry replied and then plopped down on a stool behind the island counter. He looked up at Sky curiously and noticed the purple/red splotch in the dip of her collarbone but didn't question it. It wasn't his business and it really wasn't a surprise.

"What brings you over so early?"

Harry turned at the sudden sound of Matty's raspy morning voice. The older man leaned against the doorframe with a lit cigarette between his fingertips. No one questioned Harry's shirtless-ness because, frankly, no one really cared. He was naked all of the time. You either got used it or suffered through it. The gang decided on the former.

"You up for giving me some ink?" Harry spun around in the chair to face his friend who just cracked a smile with eyes still hooded with sleep.

"Sounds good. What were you thinking?"

"**_17BLACK_** below the collarbone," Harry answered and traced a fingertip over the area as if Matty wasn't aware of basic human anatomy.

"Straight black ink?" Matty asked and Harry nodded. "Be back in a jiff," he assured, then disappeared into the hallway with a cloud of smoke following him like a shadow threatening to be left behind.

After Sky returned with her mug of coffee, and Matty returned with a bottle of black tattoo ink, soon enough, Harry was sat back against a leather recliner with a needle being jabbed into his skin. Unlike a modern day piece that would be given quickly with a tattoo gun, Harry's tattoo was given using the old fashioned stick-and-poke method. Of course there were a few tattoo guns in these times, but they were usually owned by professional tattoo shops, which Matty was not an owner of. At least not yet.

So Matty dipped the tip of the needle into the black substance and stabbed it into Harry's skin. He repeated the action several times over the course of about an hour and that only resulted in the completion of a small portion of the tattoo.

"**17BL**" was all that was legible against Harry's chest.

"Tatting Harry again?" Josh's voice suddenly sounded from the front doorframe. He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it to the couch beside Harry's discarded shirt. "What're you getting?"

"**_17BLACK_**," Harry replied and then bit his lip at a particular jab that hurt a little more than the others had.

"Sick," Josh joined Harry's side and watched Matty stab at his chest with the dark ink. "Looks a bit irritated."

Josh subconsciously reached a hand out to touch Harry's tender, pink skin. "Don't," Matty barked and pricked the side of Josh's finger with the needle, leaving a small black dot in his skin. Josh was quick to retract his limb.

"Fuck up the tat, I'll fuck up your face," Harry added and Josh raised his hands as if to show that he was innocent.

"Okay, fine. I'll just sit over here then," he rolled his eyes and shuffled over to the stools behind the island counter. Josh sat there for a good half an hour, nearly bored out of his mind, until he caught sight of something, or rather someone, out of the corner of his eye. Two particularly familiar brunettes walked side by side across the street. "Look who it is."

Harry tipped his head back in order to look out of the window behind him. Everything was upside down, until he recognized Louis' caramel fringe and his body that could stop a truck. Then he turned in the seat to get a better look, right side up this time, and smirked at the sight of the soc with his friend.

"Stop squirming or I'll stab your dick next," Matty threatened with a laugh. He followed Harry's gaze to the window and then shook his head when he also recognized the two boys outside.

"Josh, go bring 'em over," Harry waved the younger man over and Josh was quick to fulfill Harry's wishes.

"Hey! Liam!" Josh called from his side of the street. The soc's attention was then directed toward the sound of his name being called aloud.

"Oh, hey, hood!" Liam called back with a wave. Louis stood at Liam's side with a brow raised in confusion. _Since when was Liam buddies with a greaser? _he thought to himself.

"Liam, we gotta go," Louis warned him. "The girls are waiting on us."

"Come over! Matty's just about finished with Harry's tattoo!" Josh cheered and Louis perked up at the sound of Harry's name. It was then that he figured that the girls could wait for them just a little bit longer. He looked both ways down the street with Liam before crossing over.

Once on the property, Louis momentarily cringed a bit at the harsh smell of cigarette smoke, but followed Liam and Josh inside anyways. His breath caught in his throat when his gaze landed upon the shirtless greaser in the corner of the room. Another man, who Louis gathered to be Matty, stood in front of him, repeatedly stabbing his chest with a needle. Louis figured Harry already had enough tattoos as it was. 

_Why did he feel the need to get even more? _he wondered curiously.

"Louis, Liam, this is Matty and Sky," Josh introduced the socs to his friends. "This is their house/tattoo parlor," he chuckled.

Louis' gaze trailed over to Harry's chest again and he swallowed thickly as he watched the needle poke into his flesh over and over. "Doesn't that hurt?" he asked Harry timidly.

"Well, yeah, he's shoving a needle in my skin," Harry teased, and then his green eyes met Louis' baby blues, the way the soc felt himself beginning to cherish every second of. "It's actually pretty numb at this point, though," he admitted, but Louis still couldn't really imagine getting a tattoo of his own someday.

"**_17BLA_**?" Louis asked, a bit confused as to what Harry's tattoo was even supposed to be.

"**_17BLACK_**," Harry corrected him.

"What does that even mean?"

"It's a set I bet on roulette tables. My lucky pair," Harry told him, which was quite ironic seeing as Harry had never actually won any money from gambling yet.

Louis' eyes widened then. "You gamble?" he asked, and he appeared slightly appalled, but that didn't come as much of a surprise to Harry. "Isn't that illegal?"

Harry rolled his eyes fondly at that. "I think you and I both know that I don't really care what's legal and what's not," he assured, and Matty just shook his head with a short laugh at that before getting to work on the "**_CK_**" of the tattoo.

"Your skin is irritated," Louis pointed out to change the subject and Harry nodded.

"That happens," he said casually.

"How many tattoos have you done?" Louis asked Matty curiously, as a way to distract himself from a small bead of blood that dripped from a hole in Harry's skin, making him feel queasy. He could barely stand the sight of blood.

Matty just shrugged, having lost count a long time ago. "Couple dozen," he answered. "Most of them are on Sky & Harry, though."

He looked around for his girlfriend then and raised a brow when he couldn't find her. "Sky?" he called out and she was quick to appear in the threshold of the hallway.

"What's up?" She glanced around the room at their company; Two brunette boys she'd never seen before in her life. With the way they were dressed, and the way their hair was both fluffy and styled to perfection, she was sure they were socs.

"Show 'em your tat, babe," Matty nodded his head toward Louis & Liam, then proceeded to finish up Harry's tattoo.

Sky lifted her arm to showcase a large array of stars and planets that were inked into her pale flesh. "A galaxy inside a galaxy," she said while Liam and Louis studied the intricate line work.

"It looks good," Louis admitted. "You're pretty talented," he told Matty and Harry subconsciously smiled at him for it.

Sky went over and settled down on the couch while Matty cleaned up Harry's chest. "You guys trying to get inked?" she asked the socs.

Louis shook his head quickly, "_definitely_ not. I feel a bit sick just watching, if I'm being completely honest." 

Harry tried his best to hide his fondness by biting his lip. "It's not as bad as it looks," he promised and he stood once Matty gave the okay. "Wanna see?" he walked up to Louis, who gulped at the sight of the boy towering over him. "Just don't touch. It's a bit tender."

"Puffy," Louis commented when he glanced down at Harry's swollen skin, "and looks like it burns."

"Oh, it does," Harry nodded honestly because it really did, but it would be worth it to him once it was healed; Yet another piece to join the puzzle of several others on his body.

Louis bit his lip and subconsciously reached his hand out, but quickly retracted it when he remembered Harry said not to touch. Instead, he cleared his throat and said, "looks great. Doesn't it sound like kind of a bad idea to have your lucky bet tattooed onto your chest, though? And what if a cop sees it?"

"I don't _always _walk around shirtless," Harry smirked and Sky laughed at that.

"Sure about that, hot shot?" she doubted him because Harry being fully clothed was pretty rare. Everyone in the group had accidentally seen Harry's body in the complete nude at some point as well. "We're lucky you have pants on."

"Right?" Matty agreed while he was clearing his tattoo equipment from the table. "Swear, I've seen your dick enough times to paint it by detailed memory," he shook his head as he only wished he was joking.

"Probably shouldn't be looking so closely," Louis said under his breath. Maybe he just didn't want to admit that he was a little jealous that even _Matty_ had seen more of Harry than he had, but then he reminds himself that he has a girlfriend, and she matters more than Harry anyway.

At least that's what Louis' been telling himself to get to sleep the last several nights.

Harry heard what he had said, but he didn't care to comment. He just let the smirk reside on his lips.

"Well, we should probably shake a leg and head to the diner, Lou... before El and Soph get antsy," Liam turned to Louis.

"You guys headin' to _Rosie's_ diner?" Harry raised a brow and glanced over at Josh with a mischievous grin that the younger man returned.

"Yeah... why?"

"Well, I'm pretty hungry. What about you, Josh?" Harry prompted to which Josh hopped up from the stool.

"I say you put a shirt on, round up the gang, and we all head down together," Josh replied enthusiastically, always game for a meal at _Rosie's_.

Liam looked over at Louis to gauge his reaction. Louis was lost in his own little world with his heart beating fast and his lower lip between his teeth as Matty waved Harry over so he could apply some sort of ointment to his new tattoo.

**\---**

Even though Harry already knew that Eleanor would be waiting there for Louis at _Rosie's_, he still made a point of sighing audibly as he found a booth by the window with the rest of the greasers. Meanwhile, the socs, Louis and Liam, joined their girlfriends on the red diner stools.

Harry watched Louis press a kiss to Eleanor's cheek, eliciting a giggle from her glossy pink lips, and he turned toward Josh who was sitting beside him. "Can't stand her," he shook his head.

Josh looked over his shoulder to the line of socs sitting at the counter and frowned a bit before looking back at Harry. "You don't like anyone," he shrugged.

"I like _him_," Harry told him.

A waitress, dressed in a red and white uniform, set two milkshakes in front of the two couples; One for each, just as the girls had requested.

Harry had never shared that sort of romantic experience with anyone before and he didn't know why it was suddenly crossing his mind that he sort of wanted to share a milkshake with Louis. It was just one of those incredibly cheesy and cliché things that couples did, and yet Harry wanted it. 

Why did he want something like that with someone like Louis? 

What was this little blue eyed soc doing to him?

"Then again, he's not just anyone," Harry shook his head.

Josh raised his eyes from the menu he was looking at. "Honestly, have you seen the rear on him? The guy is thicker than pudding," Josh made suggestive gestures with his hands to emphasize his words to which Harry narrowed his eyes and smacked Josh's hands. 

"Watch it," Harry warned, just as the same waitress from before approached the booth in order to jot down their requests on her little notepad, after which she skipped off to fill the order and if it were any other day, Harry probably would've eyed the way her thighs looked beneath her skirt as she walked away. However, all of his attention was focused on a five-foot-something brunette boy sitting at the counter, sipping from a straw and staring into his girlfriend's eyes.

"Can you guys cool it with the PDA? Think of the children," Harry piped up finally, causing the whole table to laugh amongst themselves.

Eleanor rolled her eyes but backed away from their glass slightly. Louis noticed, so he turned around to face the booth full of greasers in order to ask Harry, "finally admitting you're a child, huh?"

Josh genuinely laughed at that, turning to shake Harry by the shoulders. "Damn, he got you good!" he patted his back a few times before he was placing his hands on his own tummy, unable to stop laughing.

"_Can it_," Harry stuffed a napkin in Josh's mouth, which only had Josh laughing even harder after spitting it out. His palm even hit the tabletop a few times.

"I may be a child but at least I'm not the one sharing cooties," Harry replied.

"Cooties," Liam snorted under his breath.

Louis offered an adorable, yet fake pout. "I'm sure you've shared worse things," he said in a sweet tone. "Now run along, sweetheart. Go braid each others hair or something while the adults speak."

Harry smirked at that, tonguing the corner of his lips before pursing them to try and hide his fond smile.

"Nice one, baby," Eleanor bit her lip while she gave Louis a quick once over that Harry definitely noticed. He just rolled his eyes and tried to focus on the waitress when she suddenly returned with their food, placing their plates in front of each greaser with a smile. Harry whistled quietly as he watched her walk away this time.

He turned to Josh, who had finally settled from his laughing fit, and nudged his arm to get his attention before directing it toward the waitress. "Look at the legs on that one," he hummed happily and Josh's eyes were immediately trailing up the length of her body.

Josh gave a low whistle as well and the waitress looked back at him with a shy smile.

Josh winked at the waitress who sent a flirty little wave in his direction before disappearing into the kitchen.

"I saw that, man," Harry praised his younger friend with a proud clap to his shoulder. "Good job."

"Little Josh may get some after all," Josh smiled before biting into his barbecue sauce-drenched chicken, causing the sauce to smear all around his mouth, and Harry inwardly cringed.

"Maybe work on your table manners a bit first," Harry laughed before throwing another napkin his way.

Josh bit into another piece of chicken, getting more sauce around his mouth, and leaned in toward Harry then. "C'mon, Haz, you don't want a little barbecue Josh?" he joked before puckering lips. The group laughed again when Josh planted a kiss right to Harry's cheek.

Harry leaned away from him with a bubbly laugh, "knock it off." Then upon seeing the look on Louis' face, Harry gave in and played along when Josh kissed his cheek, leaving behind a sloppy lip print of barbecue. "Oh, Josh!" he moaned into a lip bite before laughing and reaching for a napkin to wipe the sauce from his skin.

"Pigs," Eleanor muttered.

Then Harry purposely snorted like an actual pig would, earning him a few more laughs from his friends.

Sophia was visibly uncomfortable with all of this, so Liam looked over at Louis. "I think 'Phia and I are going to find a place to listen to some tunes. You and El are free to meet up with us whenever."

"We'd love to," El intervened before Louis could even get a chance to speak.

Louis nodded slowly. "Yeah... let me just call the waitress over to pay and we'll roll, okay?"

El rolled her eyes, but nodded and grabbed her purse before following Liam and Sophia outside.

Harry watched the rest of the socs leave before the waitress from before handed Louis the bill, which he paid by himself. Meanwhile, the greasers would each be chipping in to cover their bill. Harry felt that it was pretty rude for Louis' friends to just leave him to pay for all of it. 

Then the waitress walked off and Harry raised a brow because Louis grabbed a napkin and a marker from behind the counter. He quickly scribbled something down onto it and got up. The napkin was folded neatly in his hand as he headed over to Harry's table.

"Well, hood, it's been a pleasure as always," he said playfully sarcastically. "Always feel as if I've filled a new intellectual quota with you guys around, really. Just wanted to thank you for the entertainment and wish you a good day," he stuck his hand out towards Harry for him to shake.

Harry momentarily laughed a bit confusedly as he brought his own hand up to do so. "Sure thing?" he raised a brow when Louis suddenly handed him the folded napkin before jogging off to join the other socs.

"What was that about?" Sky asked, taking a sip of her coffee as Harry unfolded the napkin to read whatever it was that Louis had written.

Harry just shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"What's it say?" Josh asked, curiously peering over Harry's shoulder, and the older boy was quick to hide the note from him.

"_Fuck off_, that's what it says," he told him, shoving him back a little so he could read the message.

"_Don't push your luck. x,_"the note read, and Harry couldn't help the smirk that grew on his face as he was folding the napkin and slipping it into his pocket.

"It's nothing," Harry traced his thumb over his own bottom lip to try and hide the fond expression on his face, but it was no use because everyone saw right through it.

"Tell that to the look on your face right now," Matty teased him light-heartedly.

Sky elbowed Matty playfully and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Well, I gotta zip. Things to see and people to do," Josh announced as he stood from the table. That earned a few snickers from the rest of them, but they all agreed that it was probably time to get a move on.

Everyone chipped in an equal amount to pay for the meal and they slid out of the booth to make their leave. Josh took the check, with his home phone number now written on the back of it, and left to find the waitress.

Harry double checked to make sure the napkin was tucked away safely in his pocket before waving everyone goodbye and making his way back home alone. 

He immediately regretted his decision to do so as soon as he walked in the front door.

His older sister, Gemma, was sat on the couch, filing her nails, as their parents did their usual thing. While most teens they knew came home to loving parents and functional families, Harry and Gemma would come home to screaming curses, shattering dishes, and sometimes even physical abuse; All at the hands of their alcoholic father, Mick.

Gemma sighed and shook her head helplessly when Harry glanced over at her because they couldn't necessarily _say_ very much to one another, considering there was a screaming match going on just a few feet away from them.

As soon as reached the kitchen, where his parents could be heard shouting at one another, Harry watched his father approach his mom in a menacingly fast pace before raising his hand to her, threatening to smack her with the backside of his palm.

Then their mother was harshly shoved into the fridge door, just before a coffee mug came flying toward her head, only to shatter against the wall just beside Harry's. 

Harry might have had a considerably good day, but his blood boiled when he looked up at his father, and he felt a sudden urge to put him in his place, even if that seemed to be a losing battle every time he tried.

"Don't fucking touch her like that, you dick!" Harry shouted and shoved the older man backward, earning him a hard smack from his father's ring-adorned hand.

"Just who the fuck do you think you're talking to, boy?!"

"Mick! No!" Anne cried as she watched her husband grab her son by the collar of his shirt. He held Harry against the wall with a bruising grip before throwing him to the floor.

Harry's palm was nicked by a shard of the mug Mick had thrown when he scrambled to get off the floor and he rushed to the stairs.

Harry slammed his bedroom door shut for the millionth time in his life, and he was sort of surprised the wood didn't break against the frame as he did so, but he didn't dwell on that thought. He just threw himself onto his mattress and hid his face in the pillows as his eyes welled with tears of anger.

After a moment of trying to calm himself down, which wasn't exactly helped by the muffled sound of his parents' screaming that bled through the floorboards, Harry reached into his pocket and unfolded the little note Louis gave him at _Rosie's_.

"_Don't push your luck. x_," was the only thing keeping him sane in that moment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it's all about the journey and the destination.

"_Stop the world 'cause I wanna get off with you_."

**-Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You by, Arctic Monkeys**

**\---**

Louis woke up in the morning to his alarm, and when he looked over at his clock, he felt his heart stop when he realized that it was the second time the alarm had gone off, meaning he'd slept through the first ring. 

He threw off his blanket and sat up before abruptly stopping. He checked his calendar and saw the date, April 9th, and was immediately reminded that he was on spring break for another week and a half.

Louis silently cheered to himself and lay beneath the warmth of the blankets once more, rewarding himself with extra time to sleep. What felt like not even five minutes later, his mother was calling his name from downstairs. He groaned into his pillow before forcing himself out of bed and over to the top of the staircase. "Yeah?"

"Phone for you," Lana chirped from the bottom of the steps. The cord on the circular-dial phone prevented her from being able to walk too far away from it, so Louis joined her downstairs. "It's Liam, darling," she informed him once he reached her.

"What?" he asked Liam tiredly once his mother walked away.

"Good morning to you, too, sunshine. This might be sudden, but pack your bags. We're going on a road trip!"

"Who is _we_?" Louis groaned and wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"Who do you think? Me, Soph, you, El, and Niall."

Louis didn't say anything, just took a moment to process before he hummed, "okay, and where are we going?"

"Get dressed for wet weather," is all Liam said before he hung up.

Louis hung up the phone as well and washed up before going out to the garage and pulling out his bags. He set them on the bed and quickly began running around his room, tossing in the essentials. Fortunately, Louis traveled often enough that he had a checklist memorized of things he would always need, no matter where he was going.

Liam arrived some thirty minutes later, parking the van he rented outside Louis' house and jogging up to the door. He was a close family friend, who had known Louis practically his entire life, so nobody ever questioned his motives when he let himself into the Tomlinson's household if they were home.

"Honey, I'm home!" he called out as he ran up the steps, skipping some in the process, until he made it to Louis' room, again letting himself inside. "Got a van outside, so we're not all cooped up in my car."

Louis snorted, "not even going to try to bribe me with candy?" He shoved one last pair of socks in his bag before zipping it up and carrying it to the door along with the others.

Liam rolled his eyes at that and helped Louis out, holding the doors open and such before opening up the back of the van for him to stuff his bags into. "We're going to pick up the others, but they should be ready by the time we get there," he explained, waiting for Louis to bid his family goodbye before they were in the front seats of the van, on their way to Niall's house. They picked him up without a hitch. 

The only problem was, when they arrived at Sophia's house, they were told she couldn't go with them because her parents didn't feel comfortable with their daughter sharing a room with Liam, or any boy for that matter, and _especially_ not out of state. This bummed Liam out, no doubt, but he understood and then they moved on to Eleanor's home. However, it turned out that her parents felt the same of their own daughter, as they also wouldn't allow Eleanor to join them on their trip.

"Looks like it's just us guys, then," Niall cheered from the back seat, and even though there was way too much room in the van for just three guys, they stuck with it because Liam had already paid three days worth of rental fees and didn't feel like throwing all of that away for nothing.

**\---**

"So we're still going to that car show in Portland?" Josh asked the crew as they were all gathered in the living room of Matty & Sky's house, having a smoke together.

"I'm still up for it," Perrie chirped and Zayn nodded in agreement from beside her as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"We're up for it," Matty added before pointing toward Harry. "Harold, up for it?"

Harry gave Matty a look, "don't ever call me that again, _Matthew_, and of course I'm up for leaving this shit town."

Matty just laughed at that because he also hated being called Matthew. It was just too clean cut for him.

"We heading out today?" Josh asked, flicking the ashes off the end of his cig. 

Matty nodded and looked over at Harry expectantly.

"What?" Harry asked, raising a brow as he was met with Matty's stare.

"Well, you're the party master. Make a list of the things we'll need on the way there. Booze, smokes, find a boom box. All the essentials, alright?"

"Fine. But we're all chipping in to pay this time, right? I practically handled everything last time," Harry said and blew smoke past his lips as he sauntered into the kitchen to grab a pen and notepad. He leaned against the counter and scribbled out a list.

_-liver poison_

_-devil's grass_

_-cancer sticks_

_-mini juke_

_-munchies_

_-rubbers_

When he was finished, he returned to his spot on the armrest of the couch and passed the little notepad around like a blunt, telling the gang to add whatever they wanted, within reason and budget of course. Pretty soon they had an extensive list running down the entire little sheet of paper.

Harry could still remember the fun they had during their last road trip they took to New Mexico, but he just had a gut feeling that this trip would be even better.

Matthew finished up his cigarette and when he saw it was the last one in this pack, he tossed it out and asked, "should we get going? Got all this shit to buy and then get it all in one person's car."

"Yeah, let's head out," Zayn agreed and patted Perrie's hip so she'd stand from his lap. "How're we all gonna fit in your car, though, Matt?" he asked curiously.

Harry smirked then, a signature deviant look on his face as an idea suddenly came to his mind.

"Oh, God, what is _that _face for?" Perrie asked as she crushed the butt of her finished cigarette against the glass ash tray on the coffee table. "You only have that look when you're up to something."

"I've got a way to get everybody down there without squeezing into Matty's GTO like sardines."

"And what is that?" Sky asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"I don't think my dad'll need his truck for a bit," Harry shrugged vaguely. "My mom's got the station wagon if they really need to get anywhere."

"You're really gonna steal your dad's car? Won't he just hate you even more?" Zayn shook his head incredulously.

"Since when do I give a shit what that asshole thinks of me? And _yes_, I'm going to steal it. Doesn't count as grand theft auto if it's my own car, does it?" Harry chuckled, "so enough about me and my bad decisions. Let's split!"

No one questioned Harry's logic any further. Instead, they drove to Harry's house to pick up the truck, and then they were speeding off, pedal to the metal. 

Harry drove the truck of course. If he was going to go down for taking it, he was going to drive it as well. He turned the dial on the radio until they found a decent station, allowing Paul Anka's _Put Your Head On My Shoulder_ to play throughout the car.

"Where to first?" he asked.

"Let's hit up Turner," Josh prompted from the passenger seat. He and Harry had taken the truck, while the two couples rode in Matty's Pontiac.

"Good idea. Alex always has the best shit," Harry gave him a little fist bump for the idea as they pulled over. Matty pulled up beside them and rolled the window down. 

"What's the plan?!" Matty yelled over the sound of both engines.

"Going to Turner's!" Josh replied to him in the same octave. "Last ones there are rotten eggs!" he teased just as Harry peeled off, and Matty quickly moved to keep up behind him, shaking his head with a fond little smile.

Harry & Josh, of course, won their little race because they took off first and had a decent head start, but that didn't matter because now they could cross _devil's grass_ off of their list.

After about an hour of crossing things off of their list, the two vehicles took off on I-5 toward Portland, Oregon.

**\---**

"Where are we even going, Payno?" Louis asked curiously from the passenger seat of the rental van. He turned to look at Liam's profile after he'd been busy staring out at the scenery they passed through his window.

"Seattle."

"_Washington_? That's two whole states away. How long do you think it'll take to get there?" Niall asked with his forearms rested on the shoulders of both the driver's and passenger's seats.

"Should only take about a day or so. We'll get there by tomorrow morning at the latest," Liam explained because his family had taken several road trips like this before. He had always wanted to show his friends Seattle, however, they never really had the time. But now that Liam had his license, and they were all on spring break, they definitely had the means to spend time elsewhere for a few days before heading back home.

Liam thought he must've spoken too soon, however, because seconds later, the engine sputtered uselessly, and the van began to slow down. "What the--?" Liam mumbled as he pressed the accelerator but nothing happened. He reluctantly pulled over, just in time for the van to stop completely, and he punched the steering wheel frustratedly.

"Are we out of gas?" Niall raised a brow in confusion.

"That's impossible. We just filled the tank a few miles back," Liam shook his head.

Louis swallowed anxiously as his mind immediately envisioned an extensive list of possible worst-case scenarios. They were sat on the side of the interstate, with cars zipping by carelessly, as they were sat there in their vehicle that had now been rendered useless. Liam turned the key again and again, but even so, it wouldn't start.

"W-We're not gonna get stuck out here, right? We're in the middle of Sacramento..." Louis' voice sounded a little frantic because they were at least a five hour drive away from home, and he didn't even want to think about getting jumped or killed. Of course, that would be a one-in-a-million chance, but Louis didn't know how else to think.

"We'll be fine, okay? Just--do either of you know anything about cars?" Liam asked hopefully, looking over at Louis, then back at Niall. Both shared blank expressions aside from their worried eyes. "_Great_," he sighed and slumped back against the seat.

Meanwhile, the greasers were speeding down the interstate without a care in the world as they cut the average trip time nearly in half with how fast they were going. Harry's pickup and Matty's Pontiac were neck and neck beside each other on the road. They'd passed the "_Welcome to Sacramento_" sign a few miles back and thought nothing of it considering they'd been all over California a million times, be it from travel, finding a place to stay, or simply finding new places and people to party with.

Harry spotted a police car quite a few yards ahead and honked the horn to warn Matty. Both of them slowed their vehicles down then, obeying the speed limit of 50mph, and they remained so until Josh raised a brow at something, or rather _someone_, up ahead of them on the side of the road.

"Hey, slow down a bit," Josh patted Harry's arm.

"Why? I'm doin' 50," Harry said in return, confused as to why he needed to slow down any more until Josh pointed up ahead.

"No, man, not that. I just--I think that's _Liam and Louis_..." Josh said.

Harry's brows furrowed when he spotted a familiar head of caramel hair as Matty switched lanes to follow behind the truck.

"What the hell is he doing all the way out here?" Harry thought aloud, and he flicked on the blinker before holding his hand out of the window and waving to the side, to let Matty know they were pulling over.

"Who's that?" Niall asked when he joined Louis and Liam outside of the van. He slid the door shut behind him and furrowed his brows as he tried to get a better look at the drivers.

Liam raised a brow from his spot at the hood when a truck pulled up behind them. "Josh?" he questioned when the greaser emerged from the vehicle.

Liam walked closer to the truck and Louis' brows furrowed at that because _what? _and his heartbeat sped up a little when he watched the ever unpredictable Harry Styles climb out of the driver's side. Matty, Sky, and the rest of the gang joined Harry and Josh at the front of the pickup then, and all were simultaneously puzzled as to what the other group was doing there. 

"Harry?" Louis caught his attention. "What're you _stalking _me now?" he raised a brow and Harry rolled his eyes.

"If I was stalking you, I would make myself a bit less noticeable, don't you think?" Harry replied, and Louis rolled his eyes as well, though he was honestly really excited to see the older boy.

"Why're you guys pulled over?" Josh asked.

"We don't really know. We're not out of gas because we just filled the tank, but the van just slowed down and stopped... so here we are," Liam shrugged and pursed his lips before sighing.

"You have no idea what could be wrong with it?" Matty raised a brow because everyone he knew, knew how to figure out car troubles, but then again, he didn't know very many socs.

"W-We don't really know much about cars..." Louis looked down at his shoes and felt a little embarrassed because it seemed a bit silly that three guys would go on a day long road trip and not have the first clue about how to fix a car in case of emergency. 

Harry just smiled, however, because Louis looked so cute right then.

"Well, lucky for you, we've got our own grease monkeys," Sky gestured to Harry and Josh who were already headed towards the hood of the truck.

"On it," Josh nodded once they pushed the hood up and propped it open with the little metal hook just beside the engine.

"Your battery's dead," Harry pointed out after about two seconds of searching.

The socs gaped because, "how the hell did you figure that out so quickly?" 

Louis walked over to the pair of greasers.

"It's my job, babe," Harry replied with a half smile that had Louis' knees weak. "Sky, get the jumper cables out of the truck bed, will you?" he called out to her. She nodded and completed her task with ease by bringing the long, red and black cables out. "Hook up the truck while I hook up these ones," he told her and she nodded once again before easily untangling the cords and rolling them out until she reached the truck.

"How does she know how to do that?" Louis asked, genuinely confused because the way he grew up, the men always handled the dirty work whilst the women just stood aside and let them handle it.

"Because Matty and I taught her," Harry replied simply just as Matty flipped up the hood of the truck and Sky hooked up the cables inside. Josh handed Perrie the keys and she climbed into the driver's seat of the truck, ready to start the engine once given the okay.

"B-But they're _girls_..." Louis said quietly, and his cheeks were bright red because he probably sounded offensive, but he didn't really mean to.

"And the sky is blue."

"What?"

"Sorry, I thought we were pointing out things that were obvious," Harry teased him light-heartedly when Matty gave a thumbs up. Then Harry connected the opposite end of the jumper cables to the van. "So what if they're women?" he asked rhetorically.

"I... I don't know," Louis shrugged and looked down once again because he felt embarrassed. He never really thought about it. That was just how their generation was raised.

"Go ahead," Josh called to Perrie, who nodded once and turned the key, starting up the engine which in turn would jumpstart the battery of the van.

Louis was confused as to what all was happening, whilst simultaneously trying not to embarrass himself in front of Harry any further, when Harry asked him, "be a doll and give that key a turn?"

Louis swallowed at the sound of the pet name, but nodded and did as Harry asked by starting up the van, and he smiled bright when the engine roared to life. He looked up at Harry through the windshield with an amazed smile, one that Harry took to heart and returned, and left Louis to flush bright red again.

Then he took the key out and killed the engine so they could unhook the cables.

Liam and Niall joined Harry and Josh at the front of the van. "That was amazing, guys!" Liam beamed as he high-fived both of them simultaneously.

"Yeah, that was sick! I wouldn't have known how to do that to save my life," Niall added and Harry & Josh shook their heads modestly.

"Don't mention it," Josh said, but Liam wasn't having it.

"We seriously can't thank you enough."

"Where were you guys headed, anyways? You're quite a long way from home," Josh said as Harry closed the hood of the van and Louis subtly joined his side among the group.

"We're going to Seattle for a sort of spring break road trip," Niall told him, "Liam's told us Washington is beautiful this time of year."

"And what are _you _guys doing up here?" Liam asked them.

"We were actually headed up to Portland for a car show," Harry answered while he wrapped up the cables and moved to toss them back into the truck bed after shutting the hood.

"Yeah, we saw you guys pulled over, so we stopped to see what was up," Josh told them and Louis bounced his brows at the seemingly low chances of that.

"Well, thank God you did. Otherwise, we probably would've been stuck out here," he said honestly and he looked away bashfully when Harry returned to the small group in front of the van.

"There has to be a way we can repay you for this," Niall shook his head.

"Yeah, if it weren't for you guys, we wouldn't be able to continue on our trip," Liam added, and Harry went to speak, but Louis cut in first.

"Why don't you guys come with us?" he suggested, and he was momentarily unable to look up at Harry or anyone really because he thought his offer would be turned down immediately, but Liam chimed in happily.

"Hey, yeah! We're staying at this really fancy hotel, but I'm sure my dad would understand if I paid for a few more friends to join us there. Some of you might have to share rooms, but most of you are couples so that shouldn't be a problem, right?" Liam suggested and Louis slowly mirrored Liam's beaming smile because if the greasers accepted the offer, then Louis would get to see Harry for three days and four nights in a row, with no parents and no _girlfriends_ in sight.

"You're sure about this, Payno?" Josh raised a brow because none of the other greasers seemed to be protesting the idea just yet, but Liam just nodded.

"Of course! We can lead the way and everything. Plus the girls weren't able to join us, so there's less people than we would've hoped for, and it's kind of bummed us out," Liam admitted, and Louis just pursed his lips in order to remain quiet because he'd honestly _much_ rather spend three days cooped up in a hotel room by himself, than listen to Eleanor complain like she always seemed to.

"The more the merrier, eh?" Niall hummed and the greasers couldn't bring themselves to resist the offer because all three socs were teeming with excitement and it really couldn't have hurt to spend a few days in a luxury hotel, could it?

"Well, I don't know about _you_ squares, but I'm _definitely _in," Josh said first.

Matty looked to Sky who nodded. "We're in," Matty told them and wrapping an arm around Sky's shoulders just as Perrie & Zayn also agreed. 

Then everyone wandered off toward their respective vehicles and got caught up in conversation about where they'd all meet up for gas and/or food, what roads to take, etc. along the way, but Louis stepped a little closer to Harry instead. The two of them were now secluded from the group at the front of the van.

"What about you?" Louis bit his lip as he looked up at Harry through his lashed.

"Well, I'd be pretty insane to turn down three days in a hotel with you, now wouldn't I?" Harry reached up to brush Louis' fringe out of his eyes and the soc's cheeks flushed.

"Three days and four nights," Louis smiled at the older boy. "But we won't be spending the entire time in the hotel, Haz," he shook his head. "We're exploring Seattle as well."

"Did you just call me Haz?" Harry raised a brow with that teasing smile on his lips and Louis rolled his eyes fondly.

"So what if I did? You've been called that before. I've heard your friends say it."

"I dunno," Harry shrugged. "I like it better when you say it."

"Yeah?" Louis asked quietly as he found himself getting lost in the emerald shades of Harry's eyes.

"Yeah," Harry nodded with a fond half smile.

"Cool," Louis replied to that with the same smile and his eyes crinkled around the edges the way Harry adored.

"Hey, love birds!" Josh teased the two of them from the passenger seat of the truck, and by then, the pair had finally realized that everyone else was back in their seats, waiting to get going. "Gonna join the flock anytime soon?"

"Stuff it," Harry called back to him, and his cheeks were pink, Louis noticed. 

_Was he blushing? _

"See you later, Lou," he said quietly and refrained from kissing Louis' cheek, only because Liam and Niall were literally _right there_, before he was jogging back to the truck and hopping in the driver's seat while Louis returned to his own spot, in the passenger side of the van.

Thus began the trip to Washington.

**\---**

They arrived at the Sheraton in Seattle, off of 6th and Union, around 9pm that afternoon, which was quite sooner than Liam figured they would arrive.

After the bellhops gathered their bags from their vehicles, Liam, Harry, and Matty let the valet park their cars for them, and Harry didn't really know how to feel as he watched a clean cut man in a crisp uniform drive off in his father's shitty pickup. He felt quite a bit out of place because here he was with his gang, all dressed up in ratty jeans, old converse, and ripped t-shirts while Louis, Liam, and Niall were in freshly washed polos, button-downs, and slacks.

"This place looks expensive," Sky pointed out while the gang followed the socs through the glass doors with gold handles. Whether they were painted or actual gold, they didn't know, but either way this place was overwhelming in the best way.

"Good thing I'm handling the expenses, then," Liam chuckled.

Most of them were exhausted, especially the drivers, but Harry was surprisingly wide awake with excitement. They got checked in easily and Liam passed the keys around; One to Zayn & Perrie, one to Matty & Sky, one to Niall & Louis, one to Josh & Harry, and kept the last for himself.

The couples shared a room while the singles shared with each other. Each room was basically the size of a one bedroom apartment; Including two king sized beds, an en suite, kitchenette, living area, and dining room. Each of the rooms were above the 25th floor as well with an excellent view of the Seattle skyline and the water. 

It was simply breathtaking.

Harry wondered what would've happened if they hadn't helped out in Sacramento. If they had continued on their course to Portland, they would probably be in some crummy motel room off the interstate, getting high while Louis and his friends would be stuck on the highway until, presumably, one of their parents would show up to save the day. The decision to accept Liam's offer was probably one of the best decisions the greasers had made in a while.

As Harry lay in bed, he wondered about all of the incredibly memories he'd make with their uniquely mixed group of preps and hoods whilst in the city. He could barely fathom it; A little suburban grease monkey in the center of an enormous urban empire.

That definitely wasn't something you saw everyday.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seattle's never felt so cold.

"_The only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you_."

**-Take Me To Church by, Hozier**

**\---**

On the other end of the long hotel hallway, was where most of the socs resided. In the third room, on the left side, was Niall and Louis' room. They unlocked the door and found their bags already waiting for them inside. They didn't think much of it as they walked past their bags and shut the door behind them. Niall jumped and practically dove onto his bed.

"Oh, it feels so good to be out of that car," he sighed into his pillow. 

Louis smiled at the boy and lay back on his bed as well.

"Yeah," he hummed in agreement, "was getting tired of Liam's singing," he joked.

Niall laughed and nodded, "he's got lungs of steel, though."

That was about the end of the conversation because Louis began to hear Niall's soft snores. He got up to go to the kitchen and get a glass of water and decided on a cup of tea instead. While he waited for the water to boil, he sat on the counter, and his train of thought drifted off toward one Harry Styles.

A smile spread on his lips without him even noticing when he thought back to the greasers helping them fix the van, and that smile Harry gave him when it actually started up again. Louis thought about the adoration in Harry's eyes, and he felt his heart beat faster, and his face become warmer.

The kettle whistled loudly then, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he moved to silence it before it could wake up Niall. Though, he was a heavy sleeper, so it wouldn't have really mattered much anyway.

Louis prepared the tea and while sipping on it, thought of Harry. 

_I should go and give him a proper thank you. _

Then Louis set down the mug and went to his luggage to find and throw on a light jacket.

Harry lay awake in his own room, tossing and turning despite the fact that he was laying in the softest bed he thought he'd ever had the pleasure of laying in, simply because he couldn't sleep to save his life. He'd been trying for a good few hours after they got to their rooms and now, at about a quarter to midnight, Harry stared up at the ceiling, daydreaming about you-know-who, that happened to be just down the hall.

He looked over at a snoring Josh, in the other bed by the door. He was drooling against his pillow which had Harry grimacing, and he'd _definitely_ have to tease him for it later, but he wasn't too concerned with that right then.

Harry felt too energetic to be sitting in bed, waiting for the sun to rise. 

He wanted out.

He remembered something about a pool in Liam's description of the large hotel, but he didn't want to go alone. That would be boring. Plus, he was sure Niall wouldn't mind him stealing Louis away for a bit, so he pushed himself out from under the sheets and out of the room, making sure to grab the key first.

He glanced around at the fancy décor in the hallway, the abstract carpet, the framed artwork hanging on the walls that didn't really make any sense to him, and once he made it to Niall & Louis' room, he took a deep breath before knocking.

"Room service," he joked and glanced down at the floor as he waited for any sort of answer.

The door slid away from Harry's knuckles almost immediately, and when Louis was revealed behind it, his brows quirked up and he gave him a smile. "Harry," he breathed out in surprise. Louis checked his pocket for his key and stepped out of the room and into the hall with Harry once he was sure he had it. "There has to be some sort of law against impersonating room service people," he joked.

Harry shrugged and smiled, simply because he was with Louis or maybe due to the fact that there wasn't an _Eleanor Calder_ for miles, and everyone else in the right mind was asleep. Also the fact that they were in a completely different state, where nobody knew who they were, and there was no way that their little exchanges could be telephoned back to Eleanor and/or Louis' family. 

They were safe there.

"I'm sure there's a rule or something against it somewhere, but I honestly don't care. Just needed an excuse to talk to you, doll face," he smiled down at the shorter boy as they absentmindedly started to drift through the long hallway and down the steps at the end of it.

Louis rolled his eyes at that but his smile couldn't be hidden no matter how hard he tried. He adored Harry's attention. "You could have just said it was you. I was actually planning on coming down to your room anyways... to thank you and everything."

Harry grinned at the thought of Louis wanting to see him as well. "For saving your ass back in Sacramento?" he raised a teasing brow.

"Yes. For saving my glorious ass, as well as my _friends_', mind you, back in Sacramento," Louis confirmed around a bubbly laugh, "and just... I don't know... for being patient with us when we didn't know what to do or how to do it. Most pleasant experience we've had together yet."

"So our little make out session on that hilltop wasn't good enough? I see where we stand now," Harry teased and playfully pouted as he began to speed walk ahead, pretending to be upset, even though he was far from.

Louis' eyes widened at the mention of the hilltop and he quickly caught onto the back of Harry's coat. "W-Wait! I meant the most pleasant experience _our groups_ have had together! The hilltop is a whole other thing..."

Harry's smile grew when he turned to face Louis in the empty stairwell. "Gotcha. I knew what you meant, babe. I just love to see you flustered."

Louis frowned and shoved Harry lightly. "Jerk," he grumbled and crossed his arms in an attempt to keep his eyes averted.

Harry rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling bright. "Oh, come on, Lou. Are you really mad at me?" he looked down at the smaller boy with fond eyes. 

When Louis didn't respond, Harry took matters into his own hands or more specifically _Louis_, because he immediately lifted Louis with ease and rested him over his shoulder, holding onto his legs before continuing down the stairs.

Louis let out a bashful squeak and began to kick his legs. "Harry. _HARRY_!" Louis tried to latch onto whatever he could and hold on for dear life, settling for Harry's waist. "I'M SMALL, I BELONG ON THE GROUND!" he yelled when his hands moved to cover his own blushing face. "Please, put me down," he whined into a giggle.

"Nope! You're mad at me. Not putting you down 'til you're cool," Harry laughed as they descended several more flights of stairs until they finally reached the bottom floor. 

Harry was out of breath by then, but chuckling when he finally set Louis down, and immediately noticed the way Louis' shirt rode up his hips slightly. He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment before glancing up at a sign in the lobby that directed guests towards different parts of the large building.

The bold-lettered word, "_**POOL**_," really stood out to Harry, and that devilish glint returned to his eyes when he looked over at Louis once more. "How do you feel about water?" he asked curiously.

"Water..." Louis repeated while he fixed his shirt and proceeded to self-consciously wrap his arms around his waist. "Really good for you, keeps the skin clear... People don't really believe it has a taste, but I'd argue against that--" then Louis saw the bold letters Harry had spotted. "Oh, no. _No, no, no_. Hell will freeze over before I go into the pool with you."

Harry visibly sagged and whined out, "come on, Lou. _Please_?" he asked, actually taking Louis' hands in his own to try and keep him from shying away. "It'll be so fun!" he smiled. "Plus it's like... midnight thirty, and everyone in the right mind is asleep right now, so it would just be the two of us. It's perfect!" he beamed.

Then with the look on Louis' face, Harry realized the real reason Louis didn't want to go in; Harry suddenly recalled the time they first met, back at the drive in, when he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from snapping at Eleanor when she made a snide comment about Louis' body. Then he thought about the next time they saw each other, the night of Liam's party on the hilltop, when Louis couldn't seem to accept any of the compliments Harry had given him. 

"Ahh... I know what this is about," Harry nodded and his facial expression shifted to something more sympathetic, verging on apologetic, when he slowly let go of Louis' hands.

Louis' eyes pricked with tears and he couldn't bring himself to look at Harry. Louis knew that it was stupid; Such a stupid thing for him to be insecure about his body, but his girlfriend constantly felt the need to shame him for the way he looked each time she told him something along the lines of, "_you need to hit the gym, hon_," and after a while, it really started to stick with him.

Louis pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes for a second to try to clear away his oncoming tears and he figured he was probably ruining Harry's mood by being like this. "I'm sorry," he tried to say as casually as he could manage.

Harry frowned because he definitely knew how it felt to have to fight back tears in front of others as to not seem weak or pathetic, but his heart hurt even more when Louis apologized for it because, "you've done nothing wrong, okay?" he said just above a whisper. "Don't apologize, Lou."

He brought a hand up to trace his thumb over Louis' prominent cheekbone, then gently tilted his chin upward so he would look at him.

"You can keep your shirt on if that'll make you more comfortable." He honestly didn't care how much or how little clothes Louis wore. He believed Louis deserved to be respected in either circumstance. "I just... I really don't wanna go in there alone. I mean, could you imagine how pathetic that would look?" he joked to try and lighten Louis' mood.

Louis felt relief hearing Harry say all of that. His shoulders sagged as he relaxed and let himself laugh. A hiccup escaped his lips soon after. "Yeah, p-pathetic," he giggled after finding comfort in Harry's warm hand on his cheek.

Soon enough, they were standing just beside the indoor pool. Harry's shirt and jeans had been discarded to the side while he sat at the edge with his calves and feet dipped into the warm water. He hummed in content as he looked back at Louis, who had merely discarded his pajama bottoms and stood a good yard away from the edge of the pool. "You gonna join me or do you sprout a tail and fins when you touch water?" he teased as he held a hand out in order to invite Louis closer.

Louis looked around the dim room. Most of the light was coming from the water itself, as there were lights inside the pool. There were lights around the room as well, but they had been dimmed, either for ambiance or just conserving money. Louis liked it either way. His heart had finally slowed down enough to where he didn't feel it in his throat anymore and he rolled his eyes at Harry's question before he accepted the boy's outstretched hand. 

"I'm not a mermaid."

Harry pretended to grimace. "Deal breaker," he joked as he took Louis' hand in his and helped him sit down beside him at the pool's edge. Their legs hung in the water, from the knees down, as they sat together in peaceful silence. When Harry glanced down at their hands to find that Louis' was casually resting over his, he couldn't help the warm feeling in his heart that spread throughout his entire body.

The way Louis' skin seemed to glow with the baby blue lighting from the pool, had Harry staring in awe with his lips absentmindedly parting, until he shook himself from his daze and cleared his throat before sliding into the pool with ease. "So warm," he thought aloud before he leaned back and let himself be submerged within the water. His entire body was soaked from head to toe when he resurfaced.

He swam closer to Louis and gently wrapped his fingers around Louis' ankles. "C'mon, Lou. I promise there's no sea monsters."

Louis snorted at that and slowly pulled his knees toward his chest in order to draw Harry even closer. Harry was at the wall of the pool then, standing between Louis' legs once he slid them back into the water. Louis grinned fondly while he played with Harry's curly wet locks. "You sure _you're_ not a sea monster?"

If Harry were a cat, he would have surely been purring with the way Louis twirled his hair around his finger. "Only one way to find out," he said in a husky tone and his eyes were hooded dreamily. "Do you trust me?" he bit his lip and held his hands up for Louis to take, and okay, _maybe_ holding Louis' hands was Harry's favorite thing to do, aside from kissing him, of course.

Louis contemplated his answer to Harry's question before nodding slowly. He untangled his fingers from Harry's curls and held his hands then. 

_What was the worst that could happen?_

Harry's smile widened at that and he slowly helped Louis down into the warm water. "Not so bad, yeah?" he asked and his voice echoed off of the empty room's walls while he walked backwards and gently pulled Louis along with him. "Peaceful," he hummed happily as his thumbs traced over Louis' knuckles beneath the water.

The water was warmer than expected against Louis' torso and he smiled at Harry even when he let go of his hands. "First time I've seen you without all that grease in your hair," Louis commented as he let himself float in a little circle around Harry.

Harry watched Louis move about the water gracefully. "First time I've seen you without pants on," was his rebuttal. "Nice legs, by the way," he said honestly. "They look soft and tan." 

_Maybe he wanted to touch them._

Louis quirked a brow and felt his blood rush to his face. "Didn't think you were a leg man, considering that your deal breaker is me not being a mermaid," he joked and tried not to let Harry notice the effect he had on him.

Harry actually laughed at that and the sound echoed in the room as just about everything seemed to. 

"I'd say I'm more of a Louis man, myself," he flirted with a little shrug as he waded over to the deeper end of the large pool. Only his head and shoulders peeked out of the water there. "_One_ Louis, in particular."

Louis swam over to the deep end to keep close to him, but he knew he wouldn't be able to touch the bottom without getting on his tip toes. So he simply began to tread next to Harry. "That Louis must be real special," he guessed.

"Oh, he is," Harry nodded in affirmation. "I wish he knew just exactly _how _special he was..." He reached out to wrap his arms around Louis' waist in order to hold him up, so he wouldn't get tired from treading. "Especially to me," he added in a voice just above a whisper.

Louis wrapped his legs around Harry's waist to help support himself. He took a moment to brush a wet strand of hair out of Harry's eyes, and without either of them initially realizing, they'd been absentmindedly leaning in closer. 

Louis looked up at Harry through his lashes once their lips were about an inch apart. "This okay?" he murmured.

"This is perfect," Harry assured him and closed the ever suspenseful space between them by pressing his lips to Louis'.

His senses were ignited like fireworks as he was smiling against Louis' soft lips, and he felt high, even though he hadn't smoked since California. Every little moment between them was intensified ten fold by the fact that there was no one around to tell them they couldn't do what they were doing. 

No girlfriends, no parents, _nothing_.

With their friends asleep and most likely staying that way into the early afternoon, Harry & Louis were left to do whatever they pleased, even if that meant just a little kissing or a little hand holding. Just being around Louis was enough for Harry to be happy.

Louis giggled against the corner of Harry's mouth. It was the first time he felt his stomach go wild with butterflies and his limbs go to jelly since, well, the hilltop, if he's being completely honest with himself. 

It was a freedom he hadn't ever felt before and _especially_ not with Eleanor.

Louis held Harry's face when their kisses deepened and Harry could've sworn he'd never felt so alive in his life. He moved his hands up to gently grip Louis' waist beneath his soaked sleep shirt then and his fingertips lightly pressed into Louis' skin. 

Louis was gearing himself up for some sort of comment or joke about how his hips were wider than the average male, his thighs were thick, and he had a tummy. He was just _waiting_ for Harry to pull away, drop him, and leave with a look of disapproval, but he didn't. Harry stayed put, in fact he was still smiling against Louis' lips, even after all this time. 

It was then that Louis realized Harry was genuinely being affectionate.

The greaser moaned softly before pulling away for a second. Their lips brushed again when he whispered, "beautiful."

Louis looked down again, opted for hiding his face in the crook of Harry's neck, and within the older boy's arms that enveloped him in warmth, he felt safe. "Thank you," he mumbled against his skin. Louis quietly laughed at himself for being so nervous before looking up at Harry. "I don't know how to respond to that... No one ever really calls me beautiful."

"What do they call you?" Harry prompted. "I'm guessing something more along the lines of handsome and rugged?" he teased the soc light-heartedly.

Louis rolled his eyes and playfully pushed Harry away then, so Harry laughed and jokingly fell back into the water, but not before grabbing Louis' hand and pulling him with, submerging them both before they surfaced again. 

"_Definitely _not," Louis gave a curt laugh after wiping the water from his eyes. He really didn't want to think back on all of the things Eleanor's called him on her "_bad days_," but there he was, doing just that. "I'm a bit too soft looking to be called rugged..."

Harry laughed wetly, "you may look soft, but you just knocked me over like a ton of bricks."

Louis pushed his own wet hair out of his face. "Do you know how long it takes me to get my hair to look so god-like?"

Harry rolled his eyes with a smile, "oh, relax. You're still gorgeous as ever, little water pixie," he promised. "It's not like anyone else is gonna see you like this and I honestly don't give a fuck how you look," he shrugged. "I'm still gonna obsess over you."

Louis rolled his eyes as well, but with pink-tinted cheeks, "talk is cheap, Harold. I look like a wet dog right now," he pouted and crossed his arms.

Harry laughed again, "and yet, I still _really_ want to kiss you again." 

He smiled, and when he stepped forward to push Louis' hair out of his face again, Louis' lips parted in wonder.

"Besides if anyone looks like a dog here, it's _me._ I mean, look at this." Harry shook his head then, sending the water flying from his long, unruly hair, and Louis giggled at the sight. "Ridiculous," Harry laughed at his own expense and he was happy to have gotten Louis to smile again.

Louis looked up at Harry, and he lightly pulled at the strands of hair at his nape that began to curl up because of the water, eliciting a tiny moan from the greaser. "Handsome," Louis thought aloud when he slid his hands down onto Harry's shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "_Very _handsome when you're not being an asshole, you know that?" Louis smirked.

Harry's smile widened, causing his dimples to appear at either side of his mouth as he looked down at Louis. "I'm not lying, by the way..." he said softly, "you _are _extremely beautiful." His eyes were sparkling as well, or maybe they were just reflecting the lights within the pool, Louis wasn't sure. Either way, it all felt pretty damn surreal. "I just wish _you_ knew that."

Louis could see the infatuation in Harry's eyes, the pure adoration, and once again thought to himself, _what was the worst that could happen? Eleanor's probably told me just about every degrading thing in the book since we were in middle school._

"Okay," he sighed shakily. "I'll let you do it."

Harry raised curious a brow at that. "Do what, babe?" he traced the pads of his thumbs over the juts of Louis' hipbones. "Are you okay?" he asked a little more seriously because Louis was visibly shaking in his hands by then.

How horrible and insecure of a person do you have to be to make someone feel so irrationally uncomfortable about themselves, or anyone for that matter?

Instead of answering Harry's questions, Louis leaned forward and kissed him once more, and all of the sudden, Louis could feel the shirt sticking to his torso more than ever before, and he needed it off. He needed the suspense to be over with. 

He could feel that Harry was still confused, but he was kissing Louis back none the less, until Louis pulled away.

"I trust you, Haz," he nodded. "Well... enough for you to look at my body in a dimly lit pool..."

Both of Harry's brows raised then because he wasn't entirely expecting that of the soc. "Okay. You're sure? You can keep it on if you'll be more comfortable," he reminded Louis, but the younger boy insisted that he wanted it off, and Harry was happy to oblige, by easily peeling Louis' soaked shirt from his body and tossing it over to the side of the pool by his own clothes.

Harry bit his lip as his eyes roamed down, from Louis' messy wet hair, over his smooth chest and the slightest bit of a tummy that Harry didn't mind the sight of, not one bit. "God... you're beautiful everywhere," he said breathlessly.

His hands slid down Louis' sides and along the curves of his hips, making Louis' heart beat faster in his chest, and he tried his best to remain calm. He had panicked about it before, about the thought of Harry seeing him so vulnerable like this, but now, he easily saw no reason for it. Harry was clearly being genuine about everything he had said; It was so evident in his love sick face. 

Louis felt his throat tighten because everything he'd ever wanted was floating there in the water right before him, and it scared Louis to think about it for too long, so he carefully brought his hands up to cover Harry's eyes. He just needed a moment to rebuild his confidence.

Harry seemed to understand a bit, as he closed his eyes behind Louis' fingers and nodded without protesting.

"For your eyes only," he whispered against the boy's plump lips, causing Harry to swallow thickly, before Louis moved to trail gentle kisses along the greaser's jaw and throat.

"Mine," Harry whispered in return when he felt the soc's teeth lightly graze over his jugular, and he hummed happily, letting his fingertips trace up and down Louis' spine. He admired the way Louis' skin lit up in goosebumps just from the slightest little touches, until he brought a hand up to gently card his fingers through Louis' hair instead. "_Hate_ sharing you," he confessed, and he really meant it, "especially with _her_," he added.

Then Harry backed away from Louis' lips in order to finally ask him, "why do you stay with her? She treats you so horribly, and expects you to be this picture-perfect, obedient little puppy, who follows her around and does everything she asks, for nothin' but a firm kick in the ribs in return..." he frowned.

Louis looked down at his hands, that rested comfortably against Harry's inked chest, to avoid looking Harry in the eye. The question had always drifted around in the back of Louis' mind, of course, but he never let himself think about it long enough to provide himself with an answer. 

At least, not until now.

"I guess that..." he paused as he tried to think of a halfway decent explanation, "we've just been together for a really long time. Our parents have become good friends, and they approve of me, and mine of her. They like her a _lot_ actually, and what's _not _to like, surface level? I mean, she's beautiful, she's a social butterfly... latches onto my arm at events. The quote unquote, "_perfect trophy wife_," as they say. I can't disappoint them by leaving her..." Louis laughed curtly at his own expense. "They'd be somad."

Harry just frowned as he listened and shook his head, but couldn't bring himself comment on it any further. Harry also knew an awful lot about trying not to disappoint his parents. But one question had been on Harry's mind, practically since the night they met, and he finally voiced it when he asked Louis, "what are we?"

Louis would be lying if he said the question hadn't been on his mind since they met, too. "I really don't know," he said softly. "I would say friends, but... out of the cover of night, are we even _that_?"

Harry bit his lip in thought. "Friends don't kiss me like you do," he replied with a light shake of his head.

"The world would say that everything we've been doing is wrong, but... when I'm with you, everything just feels so _right..._"

Harry chuckled fondly. "Maybe it's a sign," he said, only half jokingly, when he glanced down at his chest, where Louis' fingertips traced over the lines of his tattoos. "No one makes me feel like you," he whispered. 

He reached up to hold Louis' right palm against his steadily beating heart, and Harry's words simultaneously hit Louis like a truck, in the best and the worst of ways. His lips parted once more as he looked up into Harry's eyes, feeling the thrum of his heartbeat beneath his touch, and he was rendered momentarily speechless.

A hurricane of thoughts and feelings raced through Louis' brain, and as the emotional damage that Eleanor had instilled within him from years of abuse shrouded his conscience once more, he felt those protective walls of his rising back up once again.

"Sure," Louis' tone was laced with bitterness. "We haven't even known each other very long... I'm probably just another piece of tail you'll chase around, until you either get bored, or just take what you want and leave."

Harry's brows furrowed upon hearing that, and he loosened his grip on Louis' hand to see if he was kidding, only to discover he wasn't. Louis seriously thought Harry was just like everyone else; A no good, piece of shit, disloyal, _greaser_.

Harry's arms returned to his sides then and he shook his head in disappointment. "Good to know that's what you really think of me..." was all he said before he was removing himself from the situation altogether, by pulling himself out of the water.

Louis frowned, and swallowed past the lump of guilt in his throat, when the greaser quickly gathered his dry clothes and started to head back to his room. Harry took the elevator this time around and he struggled to fight back the urge to punch something on the way up to the correct floor.

Louis frustratedly groaned to himself before smacking the water with an open palm and holding his face in his hands. Unlike before in the hallway, when Harry jokingly got upset with him, he knew this time Harry was being serious.

Louis just thought to himself, _I really know _just_ how to fuck things up, don't I?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An apology can go a long way.

"_You're a million miles away, so come closer_."

**-Come Closer by, Miles Kane**

**\---**

** DISCLAIMER: **   
_The Seattle Space Needle wasn't actually built until 1962, meaning it didn't exist during the time period we are writing in, 1959. But it's close enough, so just roll with it. It's fan **f**_ **_iction_ ** _after all._

**\---**

"Let's shake some gravel!" Liam called throughout the hallway when he knocked on everyone's door, sure to wake each member of his group and then some. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauties! We're heading out in half an hour!" he called through the door of Niall and Louis' room. "That means you, too, Tommo! And no back talk!" he teased.

He was smiling brighter than ever because he was excited to see the space needle with all of his friends, and while he sort of sounded like some sort of elementary school field trip chaperone, they all obeyed by pushing out of bed and starting to get ready.

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair because he knew he would have to talk to, and see, Louis eventually. He felt like he'd been awake for days, even if he'd slept from about one in the morning to noon.

He cut Liam some slack, however, because Harry understood why he was excited, but even so, he was still a bit upset about the unfolding of the previous night's events; Louis really thought Harry was just like everyone else, that Harry was just another no good, lowlife greaser.

Harry thought, if Louis wanted to think like that, _then_ _two could play at that game_.

Harry decided he would act nonchalant about their situation that day and treat Louis the same way he would have treated any other soc who crossed him. He figured maybe that would show Louis just how different he truly was with him.

_Only_ with him.

Louis set his bag on his bed, and as he tried different outfit combinations, he occasionally checked in with Niall to get his input, but the blonde would just glance up at him from their room's small television and reply with, "_yup, looks great._"

Louis tried hard not to think of what went down between him and Harry only hours before, and he was honestly dreading the fact that they were going to be hanging out with the greasers for the entire day.

He just sighed to himself, before deciding on a casual polo and slacks, and closed his bag.

_Why did I have to make it go south so fast?_

"You ready?" Niall asked when Louis was finally dressed.

He patted his pockets, and made sure he had his wallet, then nodded. "Let's go. Can't have Papa Payne waiting, now can we?" Louis joked with a smile and he felt a little better within the company of a close friend.

"Yeah," Niall laughed shortly and bounced his brows in agreement because this definitely wasn't the first time they'd seen Liam like this. They had both learned the hard way to follow along with Liam's plans or face his wrath; "Wrath," meaning he wouldn't quit pestering you about it until you finally gave in and went along with his plans.

It was a quarter to two in the afternoon, by the time they finally grouped up and walked out, and the first destination on Liam's itinerary, was Pike Place Market.

Louis and Harry probably would've been holding hands by then, had it not been for the socs' presence, and with the way things were left between them the night before, they weren't exactly on speaking terms, so it was kind of pointless.

It was also quite risky, considering the extensively homophobic mindset of mainstream society at the time, which definitely didn't make it any easier for them.

Harry's jaw stayed set for most of the afternoon, just like the blank expression remained on his face, and Louis swore he could physically feel the guilt eating away at him. He was angry with himself for upsetting Harry the way he did. His anxiety had gotten the best of him, but Louis just wished he would've kept his mouth shut.

**(A/N:** _Actual photo of Seattle's Pike Place Market in the 1950s_**)**

If this trip had taken place weeks ago, Louis wouldn't have even batted an eye at the fact that Harry was upset with him, but that was no longer the case now. He felt the burning desire to make up for what he said deep within his chest, but with the way Harry looked in that moment, all furrowed brows and broad shoulders, Louis though that he should probably let Harry cool off just a little bit longer. He really didn't want to make things even worse between them.

A while later, after visiting the gum wall and various little shops, as a group or in pairs, the large gang of greasers and socs headed to a deli by the pier for lunch. They ate sandwiches, or just a simple salad in Louis' case, and shared a large booth towards the back of the building.

Even though Harry & Louis were sat directly across from one another, Harry didn't say a word or even spare Louis a glance. He was making it incredibly difficult for Louis to find a way to properly apologize.

Louis felt as though no matter what he would try to say or do, Harry would just blow him off and hold a grudge, and if Louis was being completely honest with himself, he absolutely _hated_ this. He felt invisible or nonexistent, and it didn't matter if Perrie had complimented his outfit, or if Liam was continuously engaging in conversation with him.

Louis didn't desire _their_ attention.

It was appreciated none the less, but he wanted _Harry _to compliment him, or for Harry to even just _look_ at him, for Christ's sake! Being made invisible to the greaser felt damn near _torturous_.

Louis wished they were back in the pool, mere minutes before he made the mistake of insulting Harry. He yearned to be kissed and held and complimented by the boy as he had been before. Louis absolutely _adored_ the way Harry looked at him and treated him like he meant something, but his big mouth just _had_ to go and ruin a night that was going so well.

_This is going to be a long day._

"It's getting colder..." Louis thought aloud once the crew had returned to the streets. He had watched Zayn give his jacket to Perrie, and Matty give his to Sky, earning grateful smiles from both girls that were now all wrapped up and cozy, wearing their boyfriends' jackets.

Liam was in a button up, and Niall wore a baseball tee, so it wasn't like Louis could just ask to borrow one of their jackets.

"Yeah," Niall agreed, and when he noticed Louis' bare arms, he cut Louis some slack because it had been quite sunny earlier in the day. But even the hottest towns get colder as the night goes on. "I didn't bring a jacket, though, Lou. Otherwise I'd give it to you," Niall apologized.

"No, that's fine," Louis shook his head as they walked because it wasn't exactly Niall's fault that he didn't think to bring a jacket. Louis' hands moved to rub his own biceps in an attempt to keep warm, but it didn't help much, considering a cool breeze was steadily rolling through the air.

He glanced back at Harry, who was following along, just a short distance behind everyone. His faux leather jacket had fleece on the inside. It looked pretty warm.

Louis eyed the greaser's face then, but immediately looked forward before he could be caught staring because Harry looked like something straight out of an issue of _Vogue,_ and Louis didn't really know how to feel about that.

Niall stepped a little closer to Louis, however, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders so he could whisper something to his friend without looking too suspicious. "You know what's up with Harry? The guy looks frosted."

Louis shrugged into a curt laugh. "Probably just going through panty withdrawals," he joked to save face, and when he glanced back, Harry's eyes were on his. His jaw was set, and the look he gave, cold as ice, chilled Louis to the bone.

_Harry heard me._

_Why did I say that?_

_Of all the times that he could've given me attention, he chose right then?_

"I'm just pullin' your leg, I don't know what's really up with him," Louis told Niall in an attempt to backtrack, but when he glanced back at Harry once more, the older boy's eyes were elsewhere. Louis took a deep breath and tried not to get too worked up about it because he'd find a way to apologize, eventually.

Things were just a little too tense for him in that moment.

At the far end of the market, there were vendors giving out samples of fruits and candies, and each of them took one. Louis took a sample of honeydew, whilst Harry took a sample of dragon fruit, keeping the little toothpick simply so he could chew on it. Niall literally moaned when he bit into his sample of chocolate and caramel.

Louis decided he really liked the taste of honeydew before tossing his toothpick in the next garbage can they passed, and Niall thought aloud, "Louis, you should've tried the chocolate. It's good, too."

"Yeah, Louis, don't neglect the chocolate just because it might not taste as good as the honeydew," Harry spoke for the first time that day, which had every member of the group curiously staring back at him for a moment, but his eyes remained locked on Louis'.

No one else knew the deeper meaning behind Harry's words, but they let it go and kept walking, so Louis didn't say anything, either. He just blinked at Harry with a look on his face that said, "_not now_."

He rubbed at his own arms again because of the breeze, and that's when Liam decided it was time for the group to head down to the Space Needle, which was only about a fifteen minute walk from Pike Place.

"I'll catch up with you guys. I think I left something at the deli," Louis suddenly announced, and when this raised a few questions from his friends, he assured them that he knew how to get to the Needle from there.

Harry was about to join the rest of them when Louis reached out to hold onto his forearm, and the leather Harry wore was cold to the touch, but Louis longed to feel the warmth of the inside.

That wasn't his top priority in that moment, however.

The group glanced back with puzzled looks, silently wondering why Harry wasn't joining them, when he gave the excuse, "gonna make sure Louis' got everything he needs. Hope I don't disappoint."

Louis rolled his eyes, and the gang exchanged confused expressions amongst themselves, but continued on when Louis assured them that it was fine and waved them off.

Once their friends were no longer within earshot, Louis asked Harry, "how long are you about to hold this over my head?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry shrugged, with the fakest smile Louis had ever seen, and the soc's fists clenched at his sides.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Louis countered, and he turned to walk down a side street that led them back toward the pier, but he looked back to find Harry just standing there. "Would you get a move on?"

"Why should I? Maybe I like standing here," Harry said, and the smile that resided on his face, told Louis that he knew exactly what he was doing.

Harry was purposely acting like an ass and Louis was quickly growing tired of it.

"Come on, Harry."

"Why?"

"You're cruisin' for a bruisin'," Louis warned, and he walked back toward Harry, who was still just standing there with his hands in his pockets.

Harry's facial expression read as amused, and that irritated Louis to no end, so he grabbed Harry's forearm once more and tried to tug him along, but Harry wouldn't budge.

"Come on!" Louis whined.

"You're cute when you're angry," Harry told him and Louis was practically fuming by then.

"Well, then, I'm about to look real pretty," Louis yanked on Harry's sleeve once again and huffed when he still didn't budge. "Lay off a bit, Harry. This isn't fun for me."

"Should I care?" Harry raised a brow.

"Obviously you care, somewhat. Otherwise you would've gone with them," Louis gestured to the fading shapes of their friends' silhouettes walking down the street.

"Thought you left somethin' at the deli?" Harry prompted and Louis swore he was going to implode.

"Would you just come on, hood?!" Louis exclaimed.

This gained the attention of some nearby shoppers, and Louis' cheeks were bright red, but Harry was still smiling, and Louis was pretty close to smacking that look right off of his perfect, _Vogue _model face.

"That was loud," Harry pointed out simply, and Louis was about ready to just give up.

He let go of Harry's sleeve then and looked down at his shoes.

It was hopeless.

"Give me a break..." Louis said quietly. He wrapped his arms around himself when the breeze rolled in again, and he honestly felt like crying, but he tried really hard to refrain. "I'm sorry, okay? There. I said it," he added in the same sad tone, and Harry bit into his lower lip because Louis was trying _so_ hard, just for him.

"For?" Harry asked, and Louis rolled his eyes at that, but looked up at Harry anyways.

"For what I said to you back at the hotel..." Louis shook his head and looked down at his shoes again because he hated the way Harry was making him feel right then. He deserved it, yes, but he just wanted to go back to the way things were before he had to open his mouth and ruin it. "I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did. It came out wrong."

"How did you mean to say it, then?" Harry asked. He crossed his arms and finally took note of the goosebumps that littered Louis'. His teeth were starting to chatter a bit as well.

"I... I don't know, just--" Louis sighed as he didn't really know how to explain it. "When I first met you, you were like every other greaser--well... every other _guy_ I'd ever met..." he said. "You teased me, you bothered my girlfriend, you were relentless." He shook his head again. "I still don't know what I did to deserve it. You were just another asshole that I had no plans of seeing ever again." Louis took a shivery breath before continuing, "but in a way, I guess I... I guess I _liked_ it...?" he blushed at his own confession.

"You liked being put off?" Harry raised a brow, but that same amused smile was still on his lips.

"You--I--I don't know..." Louis shrugged and felt exasperated. "I liked the attention..."

"Everyone's been giving you attention all day."

"Yeah, but it wasn't _you_..." Louis told him once he finally figured out how to say it. "You think I'd be putting up this much of a fuss, trying to get you to forgive me, if _their_ attention was what I wanted?" he asked rhetorically and Harry's lips parted as he was slightly taken aback.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, I forgive you," Harry offered Louis a genuine half-smile and the soc's baby blue eyes lit up.

"Took you long enough," he teased and bit into his lower lip to stifle his bright smile.

"Oh, what was that? I should forget I said anything and find the others?" Harry raised a teasing brow, and he turned as though he was about to walk away, but Louis was quick to reach out and hold onto his forearm again.

"No!" he blurted and then shook his head self-deprecatingly. "I mean, no... please, don't leave," Louis quietly begged and Harry's smile only grew.

"Fine. But we really should get back to the group," Harry said seriously.

"Why?" Louis asked and a whine threatened to escape his lips.

All he wanted to do was go back to the hotel, and maybe have a repeat of the night before, only without all of the negativity at the end.

"Because you're gonna turn into an ice pop if we don't get you somewhere warm, soon."

Louis blushed because he really didn't want to be a bother, but Harry's jacket looked _so_ warm and cozy, and the greaser was right; He was starting to freeze.

"C-Can I borrow this?" Louis asked bashfully when he traced his fingertips over Harry's faux leather covered forearm.

Harry's expression was unreadable in that moment because Louis didn't realize just how endearing he truly was to the older boy. In any other situation, giving someone your jacket, or letting them wear your rings, usually meant you were going steady with them.

It was sort of a way of saying, "_this person is mine. Don't touch._"

Louis didn't seem to realize this because he'd never really thought about the deeper meaning behind it. He had never given anyone his jacket before, not even Eleanor. He wanted to laugh at himself because Eleanor would've been prepared in this situation. She would've thought ahead and brought her jacket just in case.

Louis could just hear her voice in his mind, scolding him for not thinking ahead.

He also never thought that someone like Harry would even care about those cute little things you'd do with your significant other; Like sharing a milkshake, or your jacket, or your rings.

He knew he and Harry were _something_. He just didn't know how to label it just yet.

But maybe they didn't need a label.

Harry immediately shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around Louis' shoulders, and the soc was incredibly grateful that he was able to coax the greaser out of his jacket with minimal teasing.

He knew if it were any other day, he probably wouldn't have heard the end of it.

"Thank you," Louis said quietly as he slipped his arms into the sleeves, and upon feeling the warmth, Louis wanted to melt into a puddle on the ground. The fleece was soft, and it smelled of nothing but _Harry_, and Louis didn't really know how to handle all of it.

It may have been about three sizes too big on him as well, what with the sleeves hanging past his fingers, and the hem falling much lower than his waist, but Louis didn't care. He was just that much more certain that he would be kept warm.

"Don't mention it," Harry hummed dreamily in response and they finally began to walk back toward the Space Needle.

Louis really wished Harry could reach over and hold his hand, or wrap his arm around his shoulders as they walked, but Louis completely understood why he couldn't, so he distracted himself by asking Harry a question instead.

"How are you not freezing?"

He had been watching Harry for any signs of being cold; Teeth chattering, goosebumps, etc. but nothing came. Harry seemed unfazed by the chilling breeze that whipped through his curls.

"Indoor heating," Harry smiled and Louis just rolled his eyes because leave it to Harry to make a corny joke like that.

"Oh, cut it out," he playfully nudged Harry's arm with his elbow.

When they joined their friends in a rented party room, at the top of the Space Needle, Louis reluctantly gave Harry his jacket back, and the gang had practically pressed themselves against the massive glass windows in order to get a good glimpse of the bird's-eye-view of the city.

"Everything looks so small from up here," Perrie said quietly, but everyone in the room had heard and agreed with her in some way.

Zayn had somehow lodged himself in between Louis and Harry, whilst they'd been distracted with the view, and hooked an arm around both of their shoulders. "These are the kind of moments I want to remember when I'm seventy," he said with a smile.

Harry glanced up to reply with some joke along the lines of, "_if you don't lose your memory first_," but his eyes locked onto Louis' profile in the next instant, and he forgot what he was even going to say.

Louis' eyes sparkled brighter than any star Harry had ever seen, his thin pink lips parted in wonder, and his cute little button nose wrinkled slightly when he smiled big enough.

Harry loved making him smile like that.

"Let's smoke some of this," Matty's voice suddenly distracted Harry from his thoughts. Matty held up a tiny glass jar and shook the contents; A few large nugs of marijuana. He rolled three joints in no time, as Niall searched the room, throwing open the cabinets and drawers.

"What're you doing, boy?" Sky asked the fellow blonde when she hopped up onto the counter and sat on it with her legs crossed.

"Lookin' for booze," Niall replied and his smile widened with a little, "_aha_!" as he pulled open a cabinet and found the mini bar. "Lou, Liam, don't let me get drunk alone!" he requested upon holding up a bottle of tequila.

Harry simply laughed because if he'd learned anything in his short lifetime, it was that tequila only was good for two things; Fighting or fucking.

Louis looked back at Harry for a moment, almost as if he was silently asking the older boy if he was comfortable watching him drink with Niall. Harry just smiled a bit and accepted the joint Matty passed to him before taking a drag. He stared up at Louis unwaveringly, and the soc swallowed thickly as he watched the smoke emanate from Harry's plump lips.

Louis _really_ wanted to kiss Harry right then, but he wouldn't admit that aloud. Especially not with the other socs in the room.

So Louis, Liam, and Niall got quite tipsy off of the single bottle of tequila while the greasers toked up, and Sky made a joke about the socs being light-weights, but it was light-hearted. She was just sort of surprised that the three boys seemed to trust the rest of them enough to get drunk around them.

Harry didn't know how high he was exactly, but one thing he did know, was that Louis' drunken laughter was one of his favorite sounds; So light and bubbly, like he hadn't a care in the world. Like he wasn't hiding the fact that he wasn't straight, or the fact that he'd been cheating on his girlfriend with a greaser.

Louis looked like he was actually enjoying himself and because of this, Harry felt content.

Things got a bit strange, but also a hell of a lot funnier, when Niall turned on the radio and a few of the hits played throughout the room. He turned the dial a bit to the left, and Kaye Ballard's _In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)_ was suddenly bouncing off of the walls and ceiling, igniting the drunken boys' senses with her soulful voice and romantic melody.

Or maybe it was just the alcohol, but Louis didn't care.

He was having so much fun.

"Oooh! Turn this up!" Louis waved his hand towards Niall, who did as he was told, and soon enough any other sounds within the room were drowned out by the music.

Harry gaped when Louis literally climbed onto the countertop and held out a hand to pull Liam up as well. The two put on quite the show, drunkenly dancing around and singing at the top of their lungs, even if their laughter sometimes seemed to be more evident than anything else.

Harry had never heard Louis sing before, but the sound of his voice was literal music to his ears. Harry's main concern in that moment, however, was making sure Louis wouldn't fall from the table and potentially bust his skull open on the sharp corner of it. He was sure at that point that the only blood that would spill out would probably just be alcohol, but he tried not to think too much of that.

Alcohol and pain just reminded Harry of his father, and he really didn't want to think about anything, other than Louis, right then.

All he wanted to think about, was the way Louis' eyes were hooded and glassy, and his lips were wet with the alcohol he'd consumed, and how much he _really_ wished no one else was in the room with them.

If this were a perfect world, Harry believed Louis would be happily out of the closet, with two accepting parents, and a healthy amount of confidence and self esteem to boot.

If this were a perfect world, Harry believed that his father wouldn't hit him or his mother or his sister, that he would only drink on occasion, and Harry would actually consider him a worthy father figure.

If this were Harry's perfect world, Louis would be his, and nobody else's. It would just be him and Harry against the world; That's what Harry thinks about as he finishes off the joint and holds the smoke in, for however long it takes for Louis to hop down from the counter, before blowing it in his direction.

Louis giggled, all bright smiles and eyes while he waved his hand in front of his face to rid the smoke from his path. "Harry..." Louis pouted suddenly, "I don't feel good." He plopped down onto the couch beside him, and Harry glanced around to make sure no one was watching or listening, for that matter, but Liam and Niall were singing along to Elvis behind the counter, and quite frankly, the greasers didn't give a fuck.

"Can you take me home?" Louis whispered to him. He squeezed Harry's forearm, over the cool leather of his jacket, and casually rested his head against Harry's shoulder.

Harry laughed it off despite his blushing cheeks. "We're quite a few hundred miles away from home, babe, but I'll take you back to your room," he replied in a voice like silk, and if Louis were sober, he would've blushed as well and looked away, but alcohol always seems to bring out a different, more honest side of people.

That's what Harry had learned at least.

Louis just hummed happily against Harry's arm. "My room..." he smiled. "Can we go there?" he asked and Harry had to bite into his lower lip to keep himself from saying anything risky.

"You wanna head back?"

"Yes. I'm tired. I want to sleep. I want to sleep with you," Louis told Harry, who gulped, and his eyes widened comically because, "you're warm, and you smell good, and I want to sleep with you. Do you wanna sleep with me, hood?" Louis whispered out so innocently, Harry's nails were digging into his own denim clad thigh.

"Y-Yeah... I'll sleep with you," Harry answered and pursed his lips to keep from smirking because he knew Louis didn't mean anything suggestive by it.

"Cool," Louis yawned and then quietly thought something over for a moment. "I'm sorry," he said, suddenly looking quite sad, and Harry frowned because he hated it when Louis was sad.

"For?"

"For what I said when we were swimming--" Louis hiccuped, and _holy shit_, Harry thought he was adorable. "You were so mad at me," Louis laughed a little. "I didn't like it."

"Neither did I," Harry assured him and he sighed quietly to himself before he sat up and shrugged his jacket off in order to wrap it around the soc once more.

"But I said I was sorry, and you forgave me, so I'm happy," Louis closed his eyes, snuggled up against Harry's shoulder again, and tugged the greaser's jacket tighter around his smaller body with his sweater paws.

When it came time to leave, it was quite dark outside, and Harry was suddenly reminded of that night in L.A. when he and Louis took a walk, got tipsy, and some kissing ensued on a hilltop soon after. The greasers watched over the socs as they crossed busy streets and walked around cracks and gaps in the sidewalks.

Harry supported Louis as they walked, with an arm around the younger boy's waist beneath his jacket, while Josh supported Niall, and Liam just followed the backs of Niall's shoes to keep himself in line.

Niall had also taken to chatting Josh's ear off within the time it took to return to their hotel, where Josh told Harry that he'd take Niall for the night in order to make sure he was alright, and Harry saw no problem with that because that just meant that he'd be watching over Louis in return.

The odds seemed to be stacking in Harry's favor that night and he really couldn't complain.

Once they reached the proper floor level, Harry slowly but surely walked Louis over to his & Niall's room. Louis handed Harry his key, and the greaser let them both inside with ease. He helped Louis out of his jacket and placed it on the rack near the door before he led Louis over to the bedroom. Harry helped Louis out of his slacks, then helped him into his bed, and promptly tucked him in beneath the sheets.

"Sleepy," Louis yawned when he looked up at Harry, who reached down to gently brush his messy fringe out of his glassy blue eyes.

"Yeah, well, you're gonna want to drink some water, Lou. Don't want a hangover," Harry told him before getting up and moving to the kitchen to pour Louis a glassful, without even needing to be asked.

"Mm, thank you, Hazzy," Louis cooed, and he sat up slightly to take a sip of his water, once Harry had returned with it.

Harry averted his eyes when a few tiny drops of it dripped from Louis' chin, and he made himself busy by stepping out of his jeans and climbing into the other bed, trusting that Louis would be able to fall asleep on his own.

And if Louis ended up in Harry's bed within the next hour anyway, it really wasn't anyone's business but their own.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being the third wheel can be pretty tough.

**[TRIGGER WARNING]**

"_Powerless and I don't care. It's obvious, I just can't get enough of you_."

**-No Control by, One Direction**

**\---**

It was early June, when the sky became a golden/pink mixture as the sun set, and the socs made their way to a bowling alley that they had come to love during the warm California nights. It wasn't a very private location by any means, but they were still a bit surprised to see the greasers there as well.

The two opposing groups gained respect for each other after their trip to Seattle over spring break, and budding friendships had been created between them, with the exception of Eleanor and Sophia.

When Harry spotted Louis walking in with his arm around his girlfriend, he smiled fondly before averting his gaze, and Louis caught the look he gave. His face immediately warmed with the blood that rushed to his cheeks because of it. Harry was also wearing this white t-shirt with several outlines of random hands, and Louis didn't quite understand it, but Harry seemed to make anything look nice.

The socs grabbed their shoes and joined the lane beside the greasers, however Eleanor and Sophia decided against playing. Sophia didn't want to risk chipping her freshly manicured nails inside the bowling ball and Eleanor simply didn't want to wear the shoes because she felt they were ugly.

Meanwhile, Perrie and Sky were already lacing up their shoes and tying their hair up.

Matty and Zayn decided on sitting around and chatting, whilst their friends began the first game. They'd play for Sky and Perrie, if they happened to be away from the lane during their turn for some reason; In the bathroom, getting food, etc.

They ordered glass bottles of Coca Cola and pepperoni pizzas to snack on while they played, and although the socs ordered the same, Louis refrained from partaking in all of the grease and carbonation. Eleanor didn't say anything when Liam offered Louis a slice of pizza and he turned it down, but if she did, she would've praised Louis for not giving in, and scolded Liam for offering her boyfriend something so fattening in the first place.

Harry chose to bite his tongue when he watched the scene unfold. He wished Eleanor and that Sophia girl didn't tag along, so he could tell Louis how beautiful he was no matter what he ate or how he dressed.

Harry felt that Eleanor didn't deserve Louis, but then he had to ask himself if _he _even deserved Louis. The boy was perfect in every way and Harry didn't know how he had gotten so lucky to live in the same lifetime as Louis Tomlinson.

After Niall rolled his ball down the socs lane and completely missed all of the pins, Louis held his stomach as he doubled over in a fit of laughter. The pinsetter, an acquaintance of Niall's, laughed his ass off as well and gave Niall a sarcastic thumbs up.

"Go ahead and keep making my job easier!" he called out.

"Hey, nosebleed, shut it," Niall called back to him playfully.

Then, when it was Louis' turn, he grabbed his baby blue ball and moved to the end of the lane. He paused there for a moment, as if studying the positions of the pins, before he finally rolled the ball down the lane. However, just as Niall had, he missed all of them.

Louis turned around with a quiet sigh and Niall shook his head at him with a sympathetic half-smile. "This place is rigged, I'm telling you. Candy-ass over here probably did it himself, so he doesn't have to work," Niall joked, pointing to his friend, the pinsetter.

"Harry, how the fuck did you get so gas at this stupid game?" Josh grumbled as he picked up his green ball and stepped up to the end of their lane. Harry had just finished taking his turn, in which he earned his third strike, and the greasers weren't even halfway through their game yet.

Harry shrugged seemingly modestly, but the smirk on his face said otherwise. "Been bowling plenty of times, man," he said simply. "Believe it or not, in the past, I used to do _way _more than just hang around with you squares all day," he teased his friends light-heartedly.

Then, after he set his pink ball in his chair, Harry glanced over at Louis again, to find him staring at the slice of pizza in Niall's hand.

However, Louis' attention was quickly captured by Eleanor, when her hand suddenly came to rest on his thigh and Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you're sticking to your diet, Lou," she bit her lip and leaned into her boyfriend's side, while his knee bounced anxiously in front of them. "I might just have to find a way to reward you for it," she told him, which caused his brows to raise.

Then Eleanor unnecessarily announced that she and Sophia were "_going to the little girls' room._" Louis assumed she was going to tell Sophia about whatever his "_reward_" was supposed to be, and honestly, he didn't care to know.

Harry eyed the girls until they were out of sight, before he made his way over to the lane beside his own, and he plopped down in the seat next to Louis that Eleanor had just been occupying. Liam & Niall didn't seem to have a problem with it, as Liam stepped up to bowl, and Niall continued eating his pizza slice.

So Harry reached out to casually steal a slice from their table, and when he hummed contentedly after taking a massive bite of it, Louis crossed his arms at the sight. The smell of the melted cheese, and the hot pepperoni, infiltrated his nose, and he felt his stomach turn hungrily.

"Really?You have your own pizza _right there_, you know," he gestured to the pizza the greasers had ordered for themselves.

"Yours tastes better," Harry replied with a simple shrug. He looked right at Louis when he took another bite, as if taunting him with it, whilst Niall just laughed because of the innuendo within Harry's words.

He watched Louis eye the pizza through his peripheral then.

"If you want a slice, take a slice," Harry whispered to him and, as if on cue, he heard the younger boy's stomach growl. "You're clearly running on fumes," he said in the same soft tone, and his features held nothing but concern, as he watched Louis contemplate it.

Every negative thing Eleanor had ever told him about his weight was replaying in his mind and he didn't know what to do about it.

Then, Harry's free hand was tracing gentle, soothing circles on the small of Louis' back, against the fabric of his t-shirt, and Louis was grateful that no one else could see it.

"Don't listen to her bullshit. Eat what you want to eat, whenever you want to eat it," Harry kept his voice down.

When Niall informed Louis that it was his turn, Louis let Niall bowl for him because listening to Harry's voice, and feeling the warmth of his hand against his clothed skin, was preferable to swinging a ball down a wooden lane.

"I don't want you to end up like the people in those Hollywood movies. You've heard about the ones who keep themselves hungry to stay tiny? I don't want you falling into that crap. It's horrible. So, please... if you want a slice, take one."

Louis tried his best to casually laugh it off, as if Harry's words weren't making him want to cry tears of sheer endearment.

"Feeling a little overprotective there, Harry? I'm not gonna to turn out like them."

"I'm sorry, I just--I care about you," Harry admitted.

His hand was still resting quite comfortably on Louis' back and the longer it remained there, the more at ease Louis felt overall, and the more he wanted that pizza. "Would it make you feel better, if I had a slice?" Louis asked.

"I mean, unless you're chicken," Harry shrugged, before standing and walking back over to his lane, since it was his turn again. He sent Louis a flirty little wink when he bent down to lift his ball, and Louis couldn't help but stare as he finally reached for a slice of pizza, and Harry moved to bowl another strike.

"Come on, Harry! Give us little guys a shot!" Josh complained, and Harry just laughed before he returned to Louis' side, seeing as how Eleanor was still gone.

"So, where did you learn to bowl so well?" Louis asked him curiously, around a mouthful of pepperoni.

Harry thought it over for a moment. "My family used to go bowling all the time," he explained with a little shrug, and he felt a bit nostalgic, but that feeling was quickly replaced with resentment any time he thought of his father. "Dad taught me some tricks," he offered a tiny half-smile. "Dad used to teach me a lot of things... but shit happens, you know? You gonna take your turn or are you just gonna let your ball sit and collect dust over there?" he quickly changed the subject.

Louis noticed the way Harry appeared to become quite rigid when he spoke about his family, which was very unlike his usual lax self. He immediately regretted bringing it up in the first place, and he figured it was probably best not to press the matter, unless Harry felt comfortable enough to talk about it on his own terms.

"Well, I'm all embarrassed now. I wasn't aware I had a pro watching," Louis giggled in response.

Harry was relieved that Louis didn't pry, but instead went along with his sudden segue.

Louis was a godsend.

But Harry just rolled his eyes playfully. "I wouldn't say I'm a _pro,_" he shrugged modestly, to which Josh laughed out loud.

"You've got four Xs across the damn score paper and you say you're not a pro? If you're not pro, who is?" Josh asked rhetorically.

Then, Harry glanced down at the socs' score paper, and saw that Louis had a lower score than Liam & Niall. "I could always teach you some pro tips," he offered, with that signature smirk of his coming to rest on his lips.

Louis brought his hand up to his own chest in an offended manner. "I saw you not-so-discreetly glance at my paper. You're not slick, you know that?" he laughed and shook his head in amusement. "But I guess I do need the help," he shrugged.

"It would be my pleasure," Harry said before he moved to join Louis at the end of the lane. He tried not to focus too much on how cute the soc looked, standing there in his bowling shoes and clutching his ball, that seemed to match his ocean eyes, in both of his hands.

"Here," Harry hummed as he stood behind him. He placed one hand on Louis' hip, but his other came to rest over Louis' hand, which gripped the ball. "You don't want to focus too much on how hard you swing your arm because no matter how slow or fast the ball goes, it's gonna hit the pins or the gutter, either way," Harry said. "You want to focus more on the wrist..." he whispered, which caused Louis to subconsciously bite into his lower lip. "Just a slight flick of it gets the job done."

Louis nodded understandingly, and his gaze traveled down the length of Harry's arm to his wrist, so he could watch the motion. But upon doing so, a crease formed between his brows and he frowned deeply, at the sight of dark bruising all along Harry's forearm.

Louis reached for Harry's hand with his free one then, and he gently turned his palm toward the ceiling, before he looked Harry in the eye with concern in his own.

"What happened?" he asked.

Harry swallowed thickly, but he quickly found a way to excuse it. "I got into it with some shit heel, down on 18th," he shrugged it off. "Dude had a hell of a grip, but I flattened him out," he said, and he honestly didn't know why he didn't just tell Louis the truth.

The gang already knew about everything that went on back home, so why couldn't he just tell Louis?

Harry figured he just didn't need the pity.

Louis rolled his eyes at that. "You know, you can't solve all of your problems with violence, right?" he turned back around then, in order to face the pins. "Just wish you understood that," he added, before he rolled the ball down the lane and made his very first strike.

"Where'd that come from?" Harry teased him.

Louis turned back and offered a smug grin. "Like you said, it's all in the wrist. Guess I've had more practice that I thought," he winked at the greaser on his way back over to the table.

Harry raked his teeth over his bottom lip and watched Louis walk away, just as Eleanor and Sophia suddenly returned to the lane, and Harry was forced to return to the other.

When Eleanor sat next to him, Louis felt her soft lips near his ear, and she said something to him, but his attention had been focused on the tall drink of water across the way.

"Hm?" he hummed, but Eleanor just rolled her eyes and shook her head at that.

"Don't worry about it," she muttered.

Then, Louis watched Eleanor move to sit down beside Sophia instead and she crossed her arms over her chest, like a child in the middle of throwing a tantrum.

Louis never seemed to know what was really going on in his girlfriend's head, but she often behaved as though he could read her mind, which was absolutely ridiculous. Louis really wished she would just _tell him_ _what was wrong_, instead of letting it boil until she inevitably blew her lid, like a pressure cooker, whenever she felt it was convenient.

But when Louis looked back up to catch Harry looking his way in the next instant, he seemed to forget about the fact that Eleanor was mad at him, entirely. He knew he probably should've been a little more concerned with finding a way to make it up to her, but in that moment, the only thing Louis could really bring himself to care about, was the way Harry made him feel.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis sneaks off to see Harry.

"_It's just you and I tonight. Why don't you figure my heart out_?"

**-Heart Out by, The 1975**

**\---**

To say Louis was nervous, was an understatement.

Of course, he'd lied to his parents a few times in the past, but they were all little white lies; _Yes, I did the dishes_. _No, I'm not failing english._

He had never lied to his parents about his whereabouts before and he was stressing about it, no doubt, but even if he got caught and grounded for it, Louis felt that it would still be worth it because he would be seeing Harry that day.

Maybe he was a little _too_ excited to be spending time with someone his cohort expected him to alienate, but to put it quite frankly, Louis didn't care.

Louis was mature enough to admit that, yes, he had romantic feelings for Harry Styles; A greaser and a drop-out, but a goodhearted boy, nonetheless. Louis saw straight through the tough guy persona Harry put off for the public. It was a front to disguise whatever Harry wished to keep concealed, and Louis planned to figure out what exactly it was that was causing the older boy to act out, but he'd save that for another day.

Louis wrung his hands nervously, while he checked over his appearance in his mirror once more, before heaving an audible sigh and leaving his room. He hopped down the stairs and met his parents, and Lottie, in the living room.

Having heard Louis descending the stairs, his father put down the daily newspaper. "Hello, son. Any plans for the day?" he asked curiously, seeing as it was a Saturday, and Louis almost always had plans over the weekends.

Louis slipped his shaky hands in his pockets and nodded nonchalantly, "yeah. I actually came down to ask if it'd be alright if I went over to Liam's? Finals are coming up and I really need to study. Two brains are better than one and whatnot," he gave a brief, nervous laugh.

Lottie scoffed at her brother's request as she flipped to the next page in her magazine. "Yeah, that's why you're dressed in your favorite jeans, too," she teased him, and Louis' face warmed with the blood that rushed to his cheeks when he instinctively glanced down at himself.

Lottie was absolutely right; Louis was wearing his favorite black jeans (one of the only pairs he owns) because, hey, they made his ass look great. He was also absentmindedly beginning to detest wearing slacks all the time.

Will met his wife's gaze then, as if silently asking for her opinion on the matter.

"I don't see why not," Lana shrugged simply, and Will nodded along in agreement with her decision, before he set down the paper and proceeded to make sure Louis had everything he needed.

Then, Louis was saying a quick goodbye to his parents, and pressing a quick kiss to his mom's cheek, before stepping outside and closing the front door behind him with a shaky sigh.

_That was easier than I thought._

Louis stood there on the porch for a solid minute, mostly just to contemplate the potential consequences if he were to be caught, but he decided it was best not to worry about it too much as he made his way down to the streetcar.

Harry had actually called Louis' house the other day, after easily finding their number in the phonebook. He had initially impersonated an official at the high school, in case Louis wasn't the one to answer the phone, but once Louis made it clear that it was him, Harry dropped the act and asked Louis to, "_come_ _hang out sometime._"

So, after a quick lecture about how his parents could've answered the phone instead, Louis promptly agreed to fulfill Harry's request because he hadn't seen the boy in a few weeks, and he honestly missed him.

When Louis arrived outside of the address Harry gave him, only to discover that it was the house/tattoo shop his friend Matty owned, he remembered watching Harry get his chest tatted there and silently hoped he wouldn't walk in on another scene like that.

He knocked on the front door, considering he had manners, and when Sky answered it, she raised a curious brow, but invited him inside nevertheless. She hadn't expected to see the soc on her doorstep again, but she let it go once Harry glanced up at Louis from his spot on the couch.

"Hey, you actually came."

Harry pushed himself up off the couch, and walked over to hug Louis because it felt appropriate, and nobody there would ever tell them that they couldn't do just that.

"Of course. Didn't want to disappoint," Louis giggled with a small shrug, and Harry smiled as he pulled away.

Then he moved toward the coffee table, and he crushed the end of his half-gone cigarette against the glass of an ashtray, thus extinguishing the embers.

Sky had taken to climbing into Matty's lap on the couch and kissing him breathless in the meantime, so Harry simply rolled his eyes and gently took Louis' hand, before leading him into the hallway.

Once the kissing couple was out of sight, Harry slowly pressed Louis against the wall. "Suspenders?" he teased and Louis let Harry's index fingers slide beneath the length of the elastic bands he was wearing.

"Oh, hush. Suspenders are gas," Louis replied while he brought his hands up to feel Harry's warm chest, through the fabric of his thin, black t-shirt.

"Did you just say _gas_?" Harry smirked, which earned another eye roll from Louis.

"Got it from you, big whoop."

"Suspenders are cute... especially on you," Harry hummed quietly, and when he leaned in until he was softly nudging the soc's nose with his own, Louis felt as though he was in a trance. "Missed you..." Harry confessed. "Did you miss me?"

Louis' heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest.

"Unfortunately," he joked, before he hid his face against Harry's shoulder. "You smell like smoke," he mumbled. 

Harry rolled his eyes at that, before he whispered in Louis' ear, "you gonna make me brush my teeth before you let me kiss you?" He wasn't actually annoyed by the idea, however, because of course he'd do it. Harry would do anything for Louis, but he still liked to tease the younger boy for being, "so high maintenance," whenever he could.

Louis just huffed in response, so Harry pulled away in order to step into the bathroom. He practically lived at Matty & Sky's now, so it wasn't too strange of an occurrence when he picked his toothbrush out of the holder, and quickly made his teeth and tongue and lips taste like a minty dream.

It made Louis feel kind of powerful, to know that Harry would do things, even something as small as rinsing his mouth out, simply because Louis had asked him to.

Harry rinsed his mouth with water before he turned to lean against the doorframe of the bathroom. He looked down at Louis with a smirk and curled his finger, beckoning the younger boy closer.

Louis immediately obeyed and pressed a quick kiss to Harry's lips. "All better," he hummed contentedly.

Harry's grin only widened at that, causing his dimples to appear at either side of his mouth while he looked down at Louis, with a fondness he'd never felt for anyone else before.

Harry appreciated every little peck, touch, and look that Louis gave him, even if his eyes were daggers and his words were laced with venom, but even so, "all that for a peck?" Harry teased. He seemed to love giving Louis a hard time, but it was all playful of course, and Louis knew that.

Louis just rolled his eyes once more, before he pulled Harry down for a much longer kiss, and he felt quite confident, standing there under the threshold in Harry's embrace. He wasn't worried about his weight or his image in that moment.

All that mattered to him then, was that Harry was there with him.

Whenever he looked at Louis, there was this glint in his emerald eyes, the spark of a love that was yet to be confessed, and it scared Louis, but also thrilled him, to know that he could actually be loved.

Then suddenly, there was a sharp pain in Louis' mouth that caused him to immediately pull away from Harry. "Ow. Something hit my tooth..." Louis thought aloud, before he worriedly gushed, "oh, my God, are you okay? Did one of your teeth just come out?"

Harry just laughed and shook his head at the younger boy. "I'm fine, baby," he replied as he cupped Louis' face in his hands. "Think you bit my ring," he inquired, and he was still laughing a bit because the metal stud in Harry's tongue had never been much of a problem for him before, but he found himself thinking he'd be willing to take it out, if that meant he could kiss Louis more often.

Louis visibly relaxed once Harry confirmed it was not a tooth and he closed his eyes, letting Harry's warm hands hold his face. "Forgot about that. Not something I see everyday," Louis explained softly. "I think you can change that though," he joked when he bravely met Harry's gaze again.

Harry's brows raised at that because he never thought he'd see the day when Louis would joke like that. "Naughty," he playfully tsked, before he pulled away from Louis in order to make his way down the hall to the guest room, which had basically become Harry's second bedroom.

"You coming, slow poke?" Harry asked when he looked back to find that Louis was still just standing there with a dopey smile on his beautiful face.

So Louis giggled, and after he quickly followed Harry into the room, he could see Harry metaphorically written all over it; The photos and posters on the walls, the knick-knacks on the dresser, the books tucked away beneath his bed.

It wasn't much, but the entire room was clearly alight with Harry's personality.

Then, as Harry took a seat on his bed, Louis awkwardly moved to sit at the foot of it.

"You ever get tired of hearing Matty & Sky through the walls?" he raised the amusing question along with one of his brows.

Harry casually leaned back against the bed, with his arms folded and his palms tucked behind his head, before he sighed softly. "It's the usual. Once they get going, there's no pulling them apart... but their company is better than no company, I guess," he shrugged.

_Better than being home_, Harry thought.

But his bruises had healed, and he hadn't been home since that night at the bowling alley, so Harry felt he really had nothing to complain about in that moment.

Louis was there with him as well, so Harry was feeling close to heavenly.

"What about the other guys?" Louis asked curiously as he turned to look back at Harry.

"What, Zayn and Pez?" Harry asked before he shrugged again. "They're usually out doing their own thing. They stop by every once in awhile, but usually only if we're planning on going somewhere. Josh is probably out trying to score a one night stand."

Louis nodded while he listened to Harry talk. His voice was lax and gravelly, and Louis suddenly found himself thinking he could listen to the boy speak for hours on end, and he would never grow tired of it.

"What did you tell your parents in order to come here?" Harry prompted then.

Louis just laughed and Harry smiled at the sound of it. "Take a wild guess."

"Studying at Liam's?" Harry guessed. "Or maybe on a romantic picnic with Eleanor?" he teased, before he sat up and wrapped his arms around Louis' waist from behind, with a soft sigh. "I'm sorry that you have to lie in order to be with me... I just get lonely here," he admitted, with his chin resting on Louis' shoulder, "and you're the only thing on my mind, when I'm not busy trying to distract myself with something else."

So Louis gave another fond smile while he reached up to trace a gentle fingertip along Harry's strong jawline.

"I'd lie every day, left and right, if it meant _this_."

Harry's lips absentmindedly parted in wonder, and his heart simultaneously swelled, upon hearing that. Then, along with a few chaste kisses to Louis' neck and shoulder, Harry asked, "you'd risk all of that, just to be here with me?"

"I mean, I'm doing it right now, aren't I?"

Harry hummed, reaching down to take Louis' hand and lay back against the bed. "That means a lot to me." He affectionately squeezed Louis' hand in his own before he looked up into his baby blue eyes once more. "_You_ mean a lot to me," he said sincerely.

Louis anxiously turned to face Harry. "Really?" he asked him softly.

Harry nodded, and when he sat up once again, he carefully guided Louis onto his lap.

"Really," Harry replied just as softly, while his heart threatened to burst out of his chest and surrender itself to Louis with each pounding beat. "Kiss me," he whispered to Louis then.

He gently traced the pad of his thumb along his prominent cheekbone, and before Louis could even think twice about the decision, he was leaning in to kiss the greaser fervently. Harry let Louis' hands slip beneath the fabric of his t-shirt and settle on his bare, inked hips.

Harry hummed against his lips, and he brought his hand from Louis' cheek to his nape, where he gave another affectionate little squeeze. Louis sighed pleasurably because of it, and Harry knew then that he would never be able to get over the way Louis sounded (and felt and tasted), and if it were anyone else, Harry would've probably been in their pants by then, but Louis wasn't just anyone. That was abundantly clear.

"Missed this... _you_..." Harry whispered between their breathless kisses, and he let himself melt beneath the soft touch of Louis' hands on his hips.

He'd take that over bruises any day.

Even with the rain that began to beat against the bedroom window, the boys were too wrapped up in one other, literally and figuratively, to really care about anything else. It was just background noise at that point; A faint pitter patter that surrounded their clouded thoughts.

Louis hummed in agreement, before he reached for Harry's broad shoulders, in order to guide him back against the sheets. His hands caressed Harry's face; A stark contrast to his hasty kisses.

The older boy lay with his hair splayed over the pillows beneath the younger, and his only source of air came from the tiny breaths he could manage between their searing kisses, but Harry didn't mind so much about the way Louis took his breath away.

All he wanted to focus on was _Louis_; Louis' lips, Louis' tongue, Louis' hips, Louis' hair.

All the while, his hands were grasping at the front of Louis' shirt, like a lifeline; A much needed tether to reality because Harry felt as though he was in some sort of fantasy.

Harry reveled in the feeling of Louis' lungs expanding and contracting within his ribcage as his hands roamed the curves of the boy's torso. It helped Harry to better understand the fact that Louis was _real._

This wasn't a _dream_.

This was all happening, and Harry's head was positively swimming when he brushed both of Louis' suspenders away from his shoulders, allowing them slip down Louis' arms and come to rest in the crooks of his elbows.

"Baby..." Harry sighed pleasurably while Louis trailed his kisses over the greaser's jawline.

"Yeah?" Louis pulled away the slightest bit out of concern and Harry practically whimpered from the sudden loss of contact.

"N-Nothing, just--feels good," he nodded reassuringly, and his bottom lip was caught between his teeth when he looked up at Louis. "Y-You can mark me, if you'd like..." he offered then, "not that you have to, just--yeah... permission."

Louis' brows raised at that, and like a giddy child, he began to bounce excitedly in Harry's lap. "Really? I-I've never actually done it before!" he admitted.

Harry's hands moved to Louis' hips then, before he moved to sit up once more. "That so?" he asked, in order to distract himself from the fact that _Louis was_ _bouncing in his lap_. "Offer still stands."

Harry's hands moved up, beneath Louis' shirt, to rest on his back. He pulled the smaller boy closer in doing so and kissed the end of his nose sweetly.

So, Louis gently traced his fingertips along the flesh of Harry's throat, and his lips followed along the same path shortly after. "Anywhere?" Louis hummed, and he grinned when he felt Harry swallow thickly against his lips before nodding in affirmation.

"Y-Yeah, anywhere..." Harry whispered, and he turned his head the slightest bit, in order to give Louis some more room.

"Tell me how?" he whispered like silk, and Harry wanted to implode.

"You just--sort of suck...?"

"Really?" Louis giggled sarcastically. "Never would have thought of that."

"Fine. Don't accept my help," Harry shrugged playfully.

"Fine," Louis rolled his eyes and tried his best to remember what Harry had done with him a few months beforehand.

Then, he kitten licked at the skin beneath Harry's jaw and momentarily let his teeth drag lazily over the area, before he gently began to suckle. Harry was like putty in Louis' hands by that point; His eyes had fluttered shut blissfully, and his bottom lip was bitten so harshly, blood was nearly drawn, but it was quickly released when Louis moved a tiny bit lower in order to leave another mark below the first, and a shuddery gasp involuntarily escaped Harry's lips.

Then, Louis bashfully pulled away.

"Is that okay?"

"More than okay."

Harry grinned at the tingly feeling that lingered on his skin, before he craned his head to the left, in order to catch his reflection in the mirror hanging beside the door. His smile only widened when he saw the red/purple marks Louis made, and as he hummed in content, he rubbed over the marks admiringly.

"Nice job," he said sincerely when he looked up at Louis once more. He brought his hand up to Louis' face and ghosted the pad of his thumb over Louis' bitten lower lip. "Think I could really get used to feeling you on me like this..."

Louis crossed his arms and pouted then. "But they don't look like yours," he whined.

Harry laughed softly. "That's because my mouth is bigger than the state of Texas," he joked as he tightened his arms around Louis' waist. "My hickeys make it look like you got hit by a golf ball," he thought aloud and leaned in to press a few tender kisses to Louis' throat. "Still can't believe you managed to hide the ones I gave you at the drive in way back when."

Louis rolled his eyes at that. "A few days worth of button ups," he explained, "because you couldn't just leave me, a poor little virgin soc, alone," Louis teased, and Harry gulped, as he had suddenly been reminded of the fact that _Louis was a fucking virgin_.

He shook those thoughts from his head, however, in order to reply with, "well, to be fair, my judgment wasn't exactly the best that night. Josh managed to smuggle a flask, and I might've drank a little more than half of it," he admitted, with another light flush to his cheeks. "I sort of wish I could do that night over again, so I could meet you as myself... as _Harry_, not as some drunken douche who doesn't know what the word _no_ means," Harry said, with a self-deprecating sigh.

Louis shook his head for a moment in thought.

"You want to know what I think?"

Harry looked up at Louis again, and he felt a bit nervous in doing so, but he nodded anyways.

"I think you don't give me enough credit," Louis shrugged simply, while he absentmindedly picked at the hem of Harry's t-shirt, and Harry was completely confused.

"What?"

"If I wanted to, I could've easily pushed you off, gone back to my seat, and asked El if we could leave," Louis told him honestly. "If I wanted to, I could've told my father, and he would've hunted you down and strangled you himself. I wouldn't have agreed to go walking with you the night we kissed on that hill," he tilted his head slightly as he listed things off.

"I like you, Harry. If that wasn't already obvious," Louis giggled, before he leaned in to kiss and nip at the skin of Harry's love-bitten throat, in order to further prove his point.

"So, you liked it...?" Harry asked almost breathlessly.

"I didn't _hate_ it," Louis teased him. "You're cute... and I like your confidence, even if you go a little overboard with it, sometimes. You made me feel wanted... like I actually meant something."

"I hope I always make you feel like that."

Louis' smile widened at that while he wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and played with the curls at his nape. "Every time I'm with you," he whispered, before he brought their foreheads together, closed his eyes, and momentarily basked the feeling of Harry's heartening embrace.

"Cool," Harry cooed, before he eliminated the proximity between them once more, and he cherished the taste of Louis as if it might've been his last because given their circumstances, it very well could've been.

They spent the afternoon together, entangled beneath Harry's bedsheets, and there was a deep sitting desire each boy held for the other, that neither had the guts to admit aloud just yet.

With the comforting ambience of the pouring rain outside, along with the therapeutic feeling of Harry's steadily beating heart beneath his fingertips, Louis' eyes eventually slipped shut, and he fell asleep against Harry's chest.

So, Harry carefully removed his suspenders and his shoes (which were now on the floor beside the bed), before he proceeded to wrap his limbs around Louis' unconscious body, like a koala bear.

Louis didn't protest, and his quiet snoring never wavered, so Harry didn't bother releasing the boy from his embrace, nor did he plan on getting out of bed any time soon.

However, as content as Harry felt within that moment, one lingering thought would continue to eat away at his happiness.

All of this was _incredibly_ _risky_.

Someone was bound to find out eventually, or maybe Louis would simply lose interest in him, or maybe he'd decide one day that he wasn't willing to risk everything for Harry anymore.

That was what Harry was the most afraid of.

It was a long shot really, but Harry remained paranoid, nevertheless.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis has an epiphany.

**[TRIGGER WARNING]**

"_Pour mercy, mercy on me. Set fire to history. I'm breaking my own rules. I'm crying like a fool. Tall stories on the page. Short glories on the fade. I've been close enough to touch, but I never cared for love. It's a church of burnt romances and I'm too far gone to pray. It's a solo song and it's only for the brave_."

🏳️‍🌈**-Only The Brave by, Louis Tomlinson **🏳️‍🌈

**\---**

It was the week before finals, when Louis' mother decided she was going to invite Eleanor, and her parents, out to some sort of pre-graduation dinner, without telling Louis. In fact, he was the last to hear about it, for some reason. Probably because his mother knew that he would protest against the idea. He had been doing that a lot as of late; Avoiding small dates and events.

Especially the ones involving the Calders.

Louis' attitude at home never changed at least. He still did his chores and his homework, and he kept his grades up and obeyed his parents, just as he normally would. But he also knew, from nearly eighteen years of experience, that if he kept up his good behavior, his parents would let him do basically anything he wanted in return, and what Louis wanted, was to spend his free time with Harry and the other greasers. 

The more time he spent with them, the more he started to realize that he didn't want to inevitably grow up and get married to Eleanor, his first and only girlfriend. Especially not with the way, Louis had only recently started to realize, she emotionally abused him quite often. Louis still had his entire life ahead of him, and if that just meant lounging around at Sky & Matty's with Harry, or hanging out with the group of so-called "lowlifes" he now called his friends, Louis was perfectly okay with that.

He had admittedly grown quite fond of the bunch, since they met at the drive in that previous summer, and he was especially fond of Perrie. When they first met, she intimidated him almost as much as Sky did, but she treated him like family and because of that, Louis was finally beginning to feel comfortable with being his true self around all of them. Hell, even his best friend and fellow soc, Niall, had come along to hang out with them a few times.

But his friendships weren't exactly what Louis was worried about in that instant because he had approximately ten minutes to gather up his strength, before he'd be stuffed into the family's sedan and, most likely, whisked off to the lounge his mother worked at. They ate there pretty often because Lana got employee discounts, so Louis tried his best to focus on the familiarity of the venue, instead of the way his blazer made his neck itchy, and he simultaneously felt a little relieved that he didn't have any hickeys to hide this time around; Not that he would really mind it if he did. 

In fact, when he _did_, Louis liked to take a few moments, whenever he was sure he was completely alone, to study his love-bitten flesh in his bedroom mirror, and he'd always find himself helplessly smiling at his reflection because he would immediately be reminded of the boy who gave them.

Even so, keeping them hidden from his family, his friends, and especially his girlfriend, had proven to be quite the challenge for Louis in the past.

Lana hummed softly to herself in the passenger seat, while William drove the small fraction of the Tomlinson family to the familiar location. Louis sat alone in the back seat because, fortunately, Eleanor was riding over with her parents instead. 

Louis really didn't even want to partake in this celebratory evening out. However, his parents insisted that they spend some quality time with him, since they apparently had time to attend his graduation ceremony, but not enough to celebrate with him afterward, due to their conflicting work schedules. Louis tried to tell them that it wasn't worth it, and that they didn't need to celebrate, but of course, his parents felt the need to go out and do something anyway.

He just hoped that it would be over soon enough.

They waited patiently, outside of the lounge, for the Calder's arrival and it didn't take very long, which relieved Louis because that meant they wouldn't be out as late, but it also meant that he'd have to deal with Eleanor, and her parents, a lot sooner.

Lana and Will greeted Eleanor's parents with their first names, considering the six of them had known each other for quite some time. Lana & Will and Deborah & Phillip had become great friends and that just made Louis feel even more anxious.

Louis greeted Eleanor, with a simple kiss to the cheek, and he placed his hand on the small of her back as they followed their parents inside. Lana and Will led the group to their usual booth, right in the middle of the restaurant; It was the perfect center point of the restrooms, the front door, and the dance floor beside the stage, where Lana often performed.

The band would play, every night the lounge was open, with different singers on different nights. Alex Turner, the guitarist, would sing his own original songs on the nights with an open mic. He had a deep, lax voice, that made just about anyone melt.

To Lana, he was a nice young man, who was just a bit older than Louis, and had a great taste in music. To the greasers, he was their go-to man whenever they felt like getting wasted, but Lana didn't need to know that. If she did, she'd most likely report him, and he would inevitably be fired.

That was beside the point, however, because Louis & Eleanor had been sandwiched into the booth by their parents, and Louis swallowed thickly as he watched his exit plan from beforehand steadily become more and more impossible to execute.

Then, as the evening went on, Louis was sure he was going to lose whatever was left of his sanity. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, even if they weren't looking. He was just waiting for someone to point out the fact that he hadn't taken a bite of his food since his plate was set in front of him by the waiter.

_The very attractive waiter, _Louis thought, and he absentmindedly watched the man disappear into the kitchen behind the bar, until the sound of Eleanor's voice suddenlyshook those thoughts from his head. 

However, he wasn't exactly sure what she had even said. "Huh?" he raised a brow, and he watched her refrain from rolling her eyes, by opting for a small sigh instead.

"I asked if you were going to eat anything. You've been staring off at nothing for about five minutes now," Eleanor said tiredly as she twirled a bit of pasta around her fork in her dainty hand.

Louis glanced down to her hands then, and he quickly got the gist, before picking up his utensils and staring down at his steak. It'd been a while since he'd eaten in front of Eleanor's parents, and he knew how picky and strict they could be about manners and proper table etiquette. In fact, as soon as he picked up his steak knife, Deborah was scolding Eleanor for having one of her elbows on the edge of the table. El quickly adjusted her arm accordingly, and Louis made a mental note to keep his forearms against the edge, while he folded his serviette over his right thigh as he usually did whenever his family went out to eat.

Phillip and William chatted about baseball, but Louis couldn't really care less about it. He just focused on breathing, blinking, and eating properly, while simultaneously being sure to chew with his mouth closed. If he planned on talking, he wouldn't do it with a mouthful of food, but he didn't need to worry about that because he didn't necessarily plan on speaking, unless he was spoken to. 

Louis just wanted to go home, or to Hell, or anywhere that wasn't _there_.

"You eat so slow," Eleanor grumbled under her breath, and Louis subconsciously gripped his fork a little tighter in his fist. It was then he noticed, that every other plate at the table was at least halfway empty, whereas he'd only taken just a few bites off of his own. 

Louis had zero clue as to what was right, or what was wrong anymore, when it came to Eleanor and her lousy expectations. One minute, he was eating too much and the next, he wasn't eating enough. 

_Which was it???_

Louis finally excused himself to the restroom, after twenty _torturously_ long minutes, and he anxiously fiddled with the lapels of his blazer on his way into the men's room.

He knew this whole dinner was meant to be congratulatory, but he really didn't understand why his family couldn't just go out on their own, _without_ the Calders. Louis would much rather have the company of his rambunctious younger siblings than Eleanor and her parents.

It sort of scared him, the way he wanted to be anywhere the Calders _weren't_. 

Last summer, Louis would've been _excited_ for something like this. He would've been excited to be graduating, to be spending time with his girlfriend, and to eventually be moving in with her, before finally going off to college. 

But now, Louis wasn't so sure. 

He was terrified of graduation because he had no idea what his future even held. Graduation meant applying for colleges that he didn't want to attend, and searching for a house that he didn't really care about, in order to start a family with someone he was no longer in love with. 

It meant giving up any hopes he had for changing his fate. It meant possibly moving out of town, and settling down, with someone he wasn't really happy with. He didn't want to marry Eleanor; That was the one thing Louis was _absolutely_ certain of. In fact, he didn't want to marry _anyone_. He didn't want to be with someone who would pester him about every little thing he did. 

It was bad enough that he even had to deal with something like that in the first place. He didn't know if he would be able to stand dealing with it for _the rest of his life_.

He'd surely end up in an asylum, and to watch his family's smiling faces at his graduation, would be Louis' own personal Hell.

Louis didn't even know what he wanted to be yet. His decision making time was ticking down faster than he could ever imagine and he felt himself slowly imploding. It was amazing how just a few months was all it took for him to realize that he wasn't happy.

Louis checked his watch then, and he decided that he had about three or four minutes, before his dinner party would become suspicious. So, he made a quick mental assessment of everything in his life, in a desperate attempt to gain some sort of control, before he could begin to spiral into an anxiety attack; Graduation, Eleanor, his family, his friends, his sexuality, Harry. 

His future would be wrecked, if he didn't change it soon.

Louis shook his head then, and he splashed some cool water on his face, before he patted his skin dry with a few paper towels and stared at himself in the mirror. He sighed self-deprecatingly, as all he really knew, was that he wasn't happy. He didn't know what exactly to change about himself, and even if he did, he wouldn't know how to.

He couldn't just leave Eleanor. Especially not _now._ It was too late; They were already in too deep. His parents would surely murder him, if the Calders didn't beat them to it.

Louis needed to leave. 

He needed out of the tiny room because it suddenly felt like the walls were caving in on him. With shaky hands, he left the men's room and when he made it back to the table, all eyes were suddenly on him. 

Then, he blurted, "I'm sick. I mean... I _feel_ sick. Like... _really_ ill. I might puke, actually," he explained, and he hoped his anxiously clammy appearance would help his case.

He placed a hand over his tummy for good measure, and Lana pursed her lips before humming a concerned, "oh, dear..."

She offered the Calders an apologetic look, and Eleanor stared up at Louis with a disgusted expression, as the his parents stood from the table. 

Eleanor hated messes and Louis admittedly was one.

"Well, we should probably get you home, then. We're all just about finished anyways," Lana giggled softly, in that way most moms seem to, when trying to explain their child's way out of an awkward situation.

Louis was eternally grateful for the fact that his parents didn't question him on the drive back home, and he hoped to use his feigned illness to get him out of any dates, dinners, etc. that his mother had potentially planned, for the remainder of the week.

He had finals the week after, so he was sure his schedule would be clear, until then. Studying would be his excuse in the meantime, and afterward, he'd be graduating.

_Right,_ he thought, _back to square one._

Louis really needed to figure all of this out.

**\---**

That Sunday, before finals, Louis was sitting beside his family in a pew at church.

They always sat in order of age; William, then Lana, Louis, Charlotte, Félicité, Daisy, and finally Phoebe. The babies, however, sat in their parents' laps.

Louis kept his nose buried in the book of hymns, and he mouthed the words as the rest of the church sang, but he was really just trying to focus more on the intricate designs of the music notes, rather than the sermons that would take place once they sat down. 

Every Sunday seemed to go the same; They would sing a few hymns, then various clergymen would preach for about half an hour, about things Louis found himself not caring very deeply about anymore, then finally, everyone would be dismissed and during that time, people were able to confess their sins.

Louis used to enjoy his time in the church with his family, but lately, he found himself wishing he could just get it all over with and go home, and it was strange to him because he'd never felt that way toward the church before.

He never necessarily believed in, or agreed with, everything that was said, be it in the bible or spoken from the lips of a living person. He'd just respectfully nod along and listen to whatever they had to say because he believed everyone had a right to their own opinion, but lately, it pained him to hear a lot of the things that were being said.

Beforehand, Louis completely understood that some of the things being said weren't very kind, or even accurate for that matter, but now it personally _hurt_. His heart felt heavy, and his stomach flipped, whenever he heard venomous words, like "_faggot_," being spat from the mouths of his ignorant neighbors.

It honestly bothered the fuck out of him.

So, he decided to confess his sins after the dismissal because he needed a way to lift some of that overbearing weight from his shoulders. His family thought nothing of it, seeing as how Louis had confessed before, so they stayed behind and chatted with their fellow churchgoers, while Louis walked up the steps and over to the little room off to the side of the pulpit. 

It was quiet when he stepped into the confessional booth after pushing the little red curtain aside.

He sat down on the small wooden bench, before he pulled the curtain shut once more, and he didn't know if there was anybody listening on the other side, but it didn't matter.

He was confessing regardless.

"Forgive me, father, for I have sinned," Louis started out as he usually did, before he took a deep breath and came right out with it. Quite literally. "I think I might be gay... and not in the gleeful, cheery, happy way. I mean the, uh... the _homosexual_ way..." he whispered the word, as if it had consequences because, in to the church at least, _it did_.

  
"I have also been unfaithful in my relationship with my girlfriend. Things were going well, up until about last summer. I was completely content with my relationship... and I actually planned on marrying her... starting a family and whatnot," Louis sighed and he stared down at his shaky hands for a moment. "Then, I met this boy... a-a greaser. But he--" he pursed his lips, and he tried to think of how exactly to convey all of this in a way that made sense.

"He isn't like the rest. He isn't mean. Only when he has to be... like when he's protecting himself or someone he cares about. He's actually quite nice to me. He makes me feel good about myself, while my girlfriend constantly degrades me. I never really noticed just how _badly_ she treats me, until I met him," he admitted, and it felt good to finally be able to say all of this aloud.

"He is always so kind to me, father," Louis shook his head in slight disbelief, and he tried his best to stifle his enthusiastic smile, but he couldn't, "and I know it's wrong, but... he makes me feel so _happy_."

His smile widened then, as if on cue. "I feel _safe_ with him. He protects me. He's always there for me when I need him to be, which is more than I could ever say about my girlfriend, and my heart starts to ache in this funny way, any time I'm without him..."

"I understand that I'm expected to just push these feelings away... and that God would want me to be strong enough to resist them. I know He's testing me, to see if I'll make the right decision... and believe me, this decision has been plaguing me for the last several weeks..." he muttered, and he wasn't entirely sure where exactly he was going with all of this. 

It was all just sort of pouring out.

"I know I should stop hanging out with the greaser and his friends, and that I should fulfill my parent's wishes by marrying my girlfriend... but I find it pretty absurd, how no one seems to be taking _my_ happiness into account, except _me_. That's all God wants is for his children, is to be happy... right, father?" Louis asked. 

There was no answer, and it was then that he came to the conclusion that there was nobody listening, but he didn't care. He kept speaking.

"I hope you can forgive me, father. I know these are sins that I am guilty of committing, but... I _refuse_ to let my future be decided for me. I want to be happy on my _own_ terms," he said with determination in his voice, but it quickly faltered. "But I also want my parents to be proud of me... and I know they wouldn't be proud of birthing a... a _faggot_," he sniffled, and he could only imagine the horrified looks on his parents faces, if they ever found out he was even _considering_ the fact that he wasn't straight.

"Please, forgive me for these sins, father... but I want to be in control of my own fate. I trust that you will continue to watch over me, and if you really love me, then _please_, just make this one exception... amen."

Then, Louis drew the curtain and took two steps out of the confessional, before he immediately bumped into someone.

"Louis, darling, we've been waiting for you," Lana told him. He quickly reached to wipe away his tears, but she gently took his hand away from his face, and frowned sympathetically. "Oh, Boo Bear... why are you crying?" she hummed as she tilted his chin up. 

His watery blue eyes met hers, and his bottom lip wobbled, as he tried to think of an excuse.

"I-I was just thinking of my nana," Louis replied before clinging to his mother and hoping she wouldn't ask anymore questions.

Thankfully, she didn't. She just held her son in her arms and led him outside to the car once he eventually settled down. The girls didn't ask why he was puffy eyed, and neither did his father, which Louis was grateful for.

He just wanted to go home and try to feel better. Confessing so much all at once had lifted the weight slightly, but he could still feel it pushing him down and suppressing him.

There had to be a way to get rid of this secretive feeling and at least lighten the load just a little bit more. It was the one thing he thought he should get out of the way before he graduates. It was quite terrifying, and he knew it would change a lot of things from then on out, but hopefully that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

That single shred of hope, was the only thing that helped him stay confident enough to do it; As soon as they arrived home, Louis asked for free time, so he could visit Niall.

Niall had just gotten home from the same sermon, so it wasn't a surprise when Louis knocked on their front door and Niall answered, dressed to the nines in his Sunday best. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and his shirt was still tucked in, but Niall's brows furrowed when he noticed Louis' puffy, red eyes. 

"Lou, are you alright?" he asked, seeming genuinely concerned, and Louis was grateful that Niall was always so honest and open with his feelings. Niall was an open book for all to see, until it came down to secrets; He kept those to the grave. He still hadn't told anybody about the time in middle school, when Louis kissed Eleanor for the first time and it made him so anxious, he threw up in his locker afterward. Luckily, Eleanor had already run off to squeal about it with her friends, so Niall was the only one who saw.

Louis hung his head in shame, Niall helped clean him up, and the two never spoke of it again.

However, now Louis stood, breaking down on Niall's porch, with his eyes crinkling at the edges, but not because of his beautiful, bright smile. Niall pulled him inside, wrapped him up in a tight hug after he closed the door, and Louis cried quietly against his shoulder. 

Although he was completely confused, Niall didn't question it, until they were upstairs in his bedroom and Louis had calmed down a bit.

They flopped down onto his bed together, and as they both stared up at the ceiling, neither really said much of anything.

That was, until Louis gained enough courage to utter four little words, "I think I'm gay."

He said it so quietly, Niall wouldn't have heard it, had he not been so close to him.

Niall turned his head and took note of Louis' familiar profile then. "Yeah? What makes you think that, Louis?" he asked without a hint of judgment or disgust in his voice, and Louis just sighed shakily.

"H-Harry... we uh--he's nice to me..." Louis said, and he immediately closed his eyes, in an attempt to rid them of the tears that threatened to spill from them again.

"I'm nice to you..." Niall replied, but Louis shook his head.

"Y-Yeah, you're my friend," Louis said and Niall was still confused.

"Harry's your friend, too..."

"Yeah, but it's different," Louis sighed.

"I'm completely lost," Niall shook his head and Louis sat up then.

"Harry and I kiss..." Louis bluntly confessed, "like, a _lot_. He holds me, and he tells me that I'm beautiful, and that I mean something to him, and that I make him happy, and I _really fucking like it_. I like the way he looks at me. I like the way he makes me feel," Louis gushed and his tears continued to fall, but even so, Niall's expression didn't seem to change. "I've never felt this way with Eleanor..."

"Am I the only one who knows?" Niall asked, and Louis was honestly surprised that he wasn't screaming at him to get out of his house, but then again, Niall had always been incredibly understanding and open-minded. Even more so than Louis at times.

Louis nodded sheepishly, so Niall pulled Louis into his arms again as his own eyes began to well with tears.

Needless to say, Louis was taken aback by his response. "Y-You don't h-hate me?" he asked, to which Niall pulled away in order to look at Louis incredulously.

"_What_?" he asked as he smiled through his watering blue eyes. "Louis, you are still the same Louis now that you were five minutes ago. You are still my best friend, my _brother_. Your relationships, and your sex life, don't concern me. It isn't any of my business," Niall shook his head. "I love you, man. It makes me really happy to know that you trusted me enough to tell me that."

"I love you, too!" Louis whimpered when he reached to hug Niall around the neck again. "I feel like shit for cheating... but El is always so _horrible_ to me, Niall!"

"How do you mean?" Niall asked curiously.

Louis shook his head exasperatedly. "She complains that I eat too much, and she tells me I'm going to get fat--well, fatter than I already am--but then the other day, she was complaining that I wasn't eating _enough_, and she's constantly degrading me for little things, like the way I talk, and the way I lace my shoes, or if my hair isn't right. She's just _consistently pulling me down_ and it's _exhausting_."

"Okay, one, you're not fat, and two, how come you're just now telling me all of this? I thought everything was fine and dandy in Elounor land," Niall shook his head, and Louis rolled his eyes at the name.

"Because until I met Harry, I thought all of it was _normal_! That it was _okay_!" Louis cried. "I figured she was just watching out for my weight, you know? Trying to make sure I'm healthy and staying fit, or whatever... that she told me these mean things to try and make me a better version of myself. I was rationalizing everything because I assumed everyone else saw it and that it was just a normal thing," Louis shook his head. "But then I met Harry, and he tells me all of these wonderful things, and I used to think he just said them to get into my pants, but he's _always_ making sure that I'm okay, and that I'm eating enough, and he actually _shows_ me how much he cares about me, Ni," Louis rambled out.

"He's never pressured me into anything... he plays around sometimes, and he likes to push my buttons, but he's never made me feel the way Eleanor makes me feel _every single day of my life_," Louis was sobbing at that point. "I really, _really_ like him, Niall... b-but I can't do anything about it because my parents want me to marry Eleanor, but I don't want to marry her! I want to--I don't know what I want to do because I haven't even figured it out yet, but _I don't want to marry Eleanor_. I don't want to marry her. So, how do I get out of this?"

Niall bit into his lip in thought as he let Louis ramble on, and he finally understood all of the little glances and gestures Harry & Louis had been giving one another, as of lately. The little smiles or waves Harry would send the soc's way and the smile on Louis' face that only seemed to exist when the greaser was around. 

It all made sense to Niall now.

"I don't know, Lou... I'm sorry," Niall shook his head honestly. "Someone's going to get hurt, no matter what you choose to do... so, I guess just... decide who you want to hurt?"

"I don't want to hurt _anybody_, Niall," Louis shook his head as well, before he wiped his eyes with the collar of his shirt.

"I know... but no matter what you do, someone will end up left behind, or broken up with, or disappointed. So, you need to figure out what's better; Making your parents happy by marrying, and inevitably having kids with, someone you aren't happy with, or putting _yourself_ first, for once in your life, and doing something that makes _you_ happy? Lou, you've spent your _entire life_working your _ass off_ to make your parents proud, and being the best son you can possibly be. I think you deserve to make _yourself_ happy, for once."

Niall's words hit Louis really hard, but in a good way.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis takes a few steps further.

"_If they find out, will it all go wrong_?"

**-Friends by, Ed Sheeran**

**\---**

"Lou?" Harry raised a brow when he was met with a rain-soaked Louis on the porch of Matty's place. Harry had just woken up from a nap. His voice was lax, his eyes were hooded and puffy, his hair was down and somewhat in his face.

Louis' eyes welled up with tears and he lunged forward, hugging Harry around the waist. Harry didn't question it at first, just closed the door and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. He didn't even care if his clothes were getting wet from the rain that covered Louis' entirety. 

They stood like that for about five minutes until Louis' crying finally settled down to little sniffles. Harry's front was properly wet, his t-shirt nearly transparent and clinging to his chest. 

Louis averted his eyes.

Harry pulled back slightly, looking down at Louis and gently tilting his chin up with his index finger. Water dripped from Louis' hair, but tears dripped from his lashes.   
"You gonna tell me what's wrong, darling?" he asked and Louis wanted to melt into Harry's hands. He looked like a helpless little kitten, looking up at Harry with grey eyes. The usual blue vibrancy was undetectable.

"L-Liam.." Louis replied shakily, "I t-told him I was g-gay.." he explained and Harry didn't need to know how Liam reaction because judging by Louis' tears, Liam must not've taken it too well.

Harry pulled Louis closer again, a sympathetic lump in his throat, "it's okay," he nodded, pressing a kiss to Louis' stringy hair, brushing it back and out of his eyes.   
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, unable to imagine how Louis was feeling in that moment. The abandonment of a best friend. Harry didn't know if he'd be able to handle something like that. At least not now.

"It's not your fault," Louis shook his head, pulling away to wipe the tears from his cheeks.   
"I guess.. I guess I just thought that if Niall accepted me, that Liam would, too.." he sniffled, looking up at Harry with the saddest little smile. Harry's heart fluttered at that.

"Some people are full of surprises.." Harry gave a sympathetic half smile, reaching out to cup Louis' cheek, "I'm sor--"

"Please don't apologize, Harry. You've done nothing wrong, just.. come on.." Louis shook his head, reaching to lace his fingers with Harry's. He tugged the older boy down the hallway to Harry's bedroom that he'd grown familiar with over the past few months. Everything was as it should've been there. 

The photos on the wall, the clothes carelessly strewn about the floor, the sheets on the bed unmade. It was practically the opposite of his own bedroom at home, but that wasn't a bad thing. Not to Louis. He liked not having to worry about being perfect for a little while and Harry thought he was perfect no matter what.

Louis stood as Harry took a seat at the edge. He was soaked and didn't want to get Harry's sheets wet. Not that Harry would really care, but Louis was only being considerate.

"What're you thinking about?" Harry asked, looking up at their intertwined fingers, the way Louis' smaller hand fit with his own larger one.

"Honestly?" Louis asked rhetorically, looking down at his wet socks.   
"Too much to list," he shook his head, sighing softly and squeezing Harry's hand affectionately.  
"Liam, my parents, Eleanor, finals, graduation, _you_.."

"Me?"

"Yeah," Louis blushed, biting his lip to try and stifle his smile.

"What about me?" Harry asked, his green eyes sparkling a little or maybe it was Louis' imagination but he didn't care. It was nice.

Louis shrugged, "I don't know, just.. the way you are with me, I guess."

"Yeah?" Harry chirped, bringing Louis' hand up to kiss the back of it before he was letting go of it and laying back against the mattress. He folded his arms behind his head and looked up at Louis with a smile.   
"And how am I with you?" he asked, giddy, but hiding it behind an amused smile.

Louis rolled his eyes, "don't make me regret coming here, hood," he said as he moved to Harry's dresser. "You're just.. so nice to me. For like _no _reason," he shook his head as he pulled open a drawer. Harry didn't care that Louis was practically raiding his wardrobe because he liked the idea of his tiny Louis in his larger clothes.

Harry moved his hands down to rest over his own stomach, "well, I care about you, Lou," he replied simply and honestly. Louis brought his hand up to card his fingers through his own wet hair, letting it hang in his face for a moment before pushing it back again.

Louis hummed at Harry's words. "I'm glad you do. There's just so much on my mind lately and you're one of the only things keeping me sane right now," he chuckled, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.   
"I'm going to go change, if that's okay."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Harry asked, that familiar amused smile on his face.

Louis shrugged, clutching the clothes in his fists. He left the room then and took a few steps down the hallway to the bathroom. He heard something from the opposite end of the hall where Matty and Sky's room was.   
He raised a brow, stepping a little closer then his eyes widened as he heard a small, feminine moan from inside of the room. Louis immediately turned back to find the bathroom, chewing his lip and trying not to think about the fact that Matty & Sky were most likely fucking in the room just a few meters away.

He figured it wasn't his business. The couple probably didn't even know Louis was there. He did sort of show up unannounced, so it wasn't their fault. Louis wondered if Harry knew, then remembered that he lived with the couple, so it probably wasn't the first time they'd done something like this while Harry was under the same roof. He figured Harry didn't really care. Why should he, really?

Louis quickly stripped out of his wet clothes and stepped into the boxers he'd picked out, then pulled the black T-shirt over his head. It was warm and big and came down to about his mid thigh. He looked at himself in the cracked mirror above the sink, only able to see from his waist up until he stood on his toes.   
He decided he quite liked his legs in that moment, remembering a few months back in Seattle when Harry complimented them, and who could really blame him for admiring them for an extra few seconds?

He brushed his quickly drying hair out of his face again, not really caring if he looked sort of homeless as he left the bathroom and sauntered back into Harry's room.

He closed the door behind himself and turned back to see Harry was actually reading a book. Louis raised a brow but let it go, skipping over to the bed and hopping onto the older boy.

Harry jumped, closing the book and setting it on the floor beside his bed. "_Jesus._ Don't scare me like that."

"How did you not hear me walk in?" Louis asked as he wrapped his arms around Harry's middle, listening to the steady rhythm of Harry's heartbeat. He also smelled good and Louis didn't want to pull away.

"I don't know.." Harry laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest and Louis felt like he was in heaven. "Feeling a little better, then?" he asked, enveloping Louis in his arms because Louis seemed a bit more enthusiastic than before.

"Well, I'm not soaked anymore. Plus I'm in your clothes.. and you're holding me," Louis voiced his thoughts, snuggling up against Harry's warm chest. Harry didn't protest, nor did he want to. "But I think it'll be a while before I truly forget about everything," Louis sighed quietly.

"I'm sorry you're so stressed, doll face," Harry cooed, squeezing Louis in his arms.   
"Do you want to talk about it?"

Louis nodded, sitting up and sighing shakily.   
"I told him everything I told Niall. Practically word for word. I told him how I confessed at church and asked for forgiveness. I told him about you and how you take care of me. I t-told him everything Eleanor d-does and says to me.." Louis sniffled, wiping his eyes with the collar of his shirt. 

Harry listened intently, his hands trailing up and down Louis' back soothingly, a silent way of saying that it was okay. "H-He looked at me like I was _insane_," Louis looked down at his hands and sniffled once more. "I was supposed to stay over there tonight but he k-kicked me out.. said he 'needed time to think'," Louis shook his head.   
"I think I messed up, Harry. He doesn't want to talk to me anymore. I messed up bad!"

Harry shook his head, his hands moving up to cup Louis' cheeks, thumbing away his tears even if they just kept coming.   
"Hey. Hey, it's okay," Harry cooed, shushing him softly. "These things happen, baby.. and listen, you still have Niall," he offered a smile, trying to get Louis to look on the bright side.   
"You still have me.. and Perrie and _all _of us," he assured and Louis tried his best to calm down, nodding in agreement with Harry's words.   
"We aren't going anywhere."

"I-I do like Perrie," Louis smiled, wiping his eyes and Harry's smile mirrored Louis'.

"That's the spirit," Harry said, glad that Louis was at least somewhat happier now. He laid back against the mattress.

Louis sat up straighter, looking down at his hands nervously as he remembered what he heard from Sky & Matty's bedroom a few short moments ago. He wasn't upset about it or concerned with Harry knowing, but he'd been thinking about this for a few weeks now and he felt ready. But regardless of how ready he was, Louis was still nervous to ask.

"You alright?" Harry asked, his hands splaying out on Louis' bare thighs and Louis wanted to scream because Harry's hands looked so big and his skin ignited with goosebumps at the simple touch. If that's how his body would react to something as simple as Harry's hand on his leg, how would it react to what he was about to ask?

"Mhm.." Louis hummed, lips parting as he became fixated on Harry's hands. He shook his head from his thoughts and looked up into Harry's eyes instead, both showing curiosity. "I was just.. I was thinking about a few things."

"Like?" Harry asked, his voice quiet, yet deep as he sat up again, his arms winding around Louis' waist.

Louis' cheeks turned bright red and he shook his head, "it's nothing really.." he tried to play it off to make himself less nervous, or maybe he just liked to push Harry's buttons.

Harry chuckled at that, "no, come on, spit it out," he teased and his smile was beautiful with straight white teeth, plump red lips, and two little dimples to either side of his mouth. _His mouth_. Louis blinked when he realized he had been staring at Harry's mouth for a good few seconds.

"I want you to touch me," Louis blurted then and Harry nearly choked, clearing his throat with pink cheeks as he wasn't sure if he had heard Louis correctly.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Harry asked for clarification, a brow raised and Louis' entire face was an embarrassed shade of red. He should've known Harry wouldn't want this. Why did he get his hopes up?

"I.. I want you to.. t-touch me..?" Louis repeated a bit less confidently because he wasn't sure what Harry was thinking in that moment. His facial expression wasn't very telling.

It was silent for a moment, but it was mainly because Harry was still unsure if Louis had actually just said that.   
"P-Please say something.." Louis said just above a whisper, looking away from the greaser with his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

"You're sure you want that?" Harry asked, playing with Louis' smaller fingers and Louis looked up at Harry then, lips parting slightly because.. did that mean he wanted it, too or was Louis overthinking all of this?   
Probably both.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't want it.." Louis said with a small chuckle, trying to make it seem like this wasn't affecting him as much as it really was.

"I just.." Harry started, "I just want you to be sure, you know?" he asked, looking up at Louis with a smile.

"Yeah, I understand," Louis nodded, a small smile on his face because he knew Harry cared so much about him and this just proved it. All Louis' done since arriving is vent and dump all of his problems onto Harry and Harry still isn't bored of him. Harry still wanted him.

So, Louis leaned in to whisper in Harry's ear, "I'm sure, Haz. I want this.. so bad," as he tangled his fingers in Harry's curls, "it'll help me forget about everything else, too. Cuz I only want to think about _you_."

Harry grinned, tipping his head to the side to press his plump lips to Louis' jawline, his kisses soft and sweet as they trailed down the side of Louis' neck, making him shiver in the best way.  
"That so?" Harry whispered, nibbling Louis' earlobe as his hands slipped beneath the fabric of Louis shirt (technically his own) to rest over his hips. Harry's thumbs pressed against the jut of Louis' hipbones, making Louis' lashes flutter as he nodded.

Louis made a soft little noise by Harry's ear, sending a shiver down the length of Harry's spine. Harry smiled against Louis' skin, moving one hand up to slide the sleeve of the t shirt over the curve of Louis' shoulder. It was easy to do considering the shirt was scoop-necked. It also sagged quite a bit around Louis' smaller frame, his collarbones exposed to Harry.

He kissed and nipped along the horizontal length of Louis' clavicle as Louis fisted Harry's hair between his fingers, reveling in the feeling of Harry's lips and tongue and teeth.   
"Haz.." he whimpered when he felt Harry's hands moving around to his back. His shirt rode up a bit as Harry's pinky fingers were rested on the hem of the tight boxers Louis was wearing and Louis' heart stuttered for a second because _Harry was such a gentleman_.

"Thank you," Harry smiled and it was then that Louis realized he'd said that aloud. His cheeks flushed a pink color, deeper than the shade they already were due to Harry's gentle touches.

"Y-You can touch," Louis reminded the older boy, who chuckled at that.

"Yeah?" Harry hummed with the same amused smile, but Louis was endearing, even as Harry lowered his hands to rest over the curve of Louis' bum.   
"Like this?" he asked rhetorically as he did so.

Louis nodded quickly, biting his lip to suppress a whimper but it didn't work. Maybe Louis was a bit oversensitive about these small touches, but to be fair, he'd never been held like this before. He'd never been caressed and admired as much as he was being then. 

"More.. please," he whispered, his arms around Harry's neck, needing him closer.

"Patience," Harry teased but Louis rolled his hips downward, catching Harry off guard.

"_Please_," Louis begged quietly and he didn't care if he seemed whiny or desperate. He loved the way Harry made him feel and the boy wasn't even properly _touching _him yet. He rolled his hips once more and that's when Harry shifted to switch their positions.

He stood, lifting Louis with him, his legs around Harry's waist. Harry held him up for a moment when Louis pressed his lips to his. Their kisses were soft, slow, and somewhat needy.

It was like there was some sort of secret message being conveyed between the two without actually saying anything. There was no doubt that they both felt that secret weight. But it still weighed less than the metaphorical anvils sitting on Louis' shoulders. This was the kind of weight Louis _wanted _to carry.

Harry's hands gripped the back of Louis' thighs as he turned to lay the younger boy back against the wrinkled sheets.

Louis' heart was gunning in his chest as his head rested against Harry's pillows. The sheets were warm and smelled of Harry and he wanted to drown in the scent, but then he'd miss out on everything else.

Harry's lips were on his skin and his fingers were in Harry's hair and everything felt alright for once. Louis felt safe and wanted. He hoped Harry knew that he cared just as much about him as he did about Louis.

"Harry, please.." Louis breathed when Harry's hand moved down to hike Louis' leg up. His thigh against Harry's hip.

"Let me take care of you," Harry shushed him, hiking Louis' other leg up as well, both feet flat against the sheets, his knees in the air to either side of Harry's waist. Louis could admit that he really liked it when Harry was in control of the situation. He wanted to be taken care of as much as Harry wanted to take care of him.

Harry took the silence as a hint to continue, so he slowly pushed the hem of Louis' shirt up, exposing his front. Harry took advantage of every second he was given with Louis, his warm hands exploring Louis' skin as his lips did the same, trailing down Louis' sternum and eventually his stomach. Louis didn't even think twice of it because he knew that Harry would care about him no matter what.

The way Harry showed no signs of hesitation or reluctance proved that and Louis felt alive.

Harry was proud of Louis for his confidence. It was new and he could tell Louis was still nervous because of the way his legs shivered with each little kiss, but Harry didn't mind that either. It was expected. He also felt ecstatic that Louis trusted him enough to do this.

Harry took Louis' pliant little noises as praise when he finally reached the elastic of Louis' boxers. Louis' hands were gripping the hem of his T-shirt, just above his stomach. He didn't really know what else to do with them but Harry wasn't complaining, so neither was Louis. He had no idea what to expect when he felt Harry's mouth over his clothed cock. His tongue pressed against the tip for a moment.

There was a small wet spot in the fabric when Harry moved to kiss down the outline of Louis' shaft, causing him to twitch slightly, his lips parted and eyes closed blissfully.

All contact was lost for a second when Harry pulled back to lift his shirt from his own torso, tossing it aside because it had gotten significantly warmer in his bedroom. Louis didn't seem to mind as he peeked his eyes open.

Harry rested back between Louis' spread legs, his knees still propped up as Harry caught Louis' lips with his own, Louis' hands moving to trail over Harry's chest, feeling every curve and edge of his skin before opting for Harry's strong back. His fingers fit in the dips between Harry's ribs that resembled rolling sand dunes with each breath he took.

Then Louis was reminded that this was actually happening.. that Harry was a _real_, _living_ being above him.

When Harry pulled away, Louis wanted to protest, but when he lowered down to Louis' groin again, Louis decided to keep his mouth shut, encouraging Harry to go on with a tiny whimper.

Then Harry's index fingers were hooking under the elastic of the boxers and gently tugging them down and off Louis' legs. Louis watched Harry set the fabric aside and slowly rake his teeth over his bottom lip as he drank in the sight of Louis, half naked with his legs spread, just for him. 

_Only him_.

"Have I ever told you how gorgeous you are?" Harry flashed Louis a smile that reminded him to breathe.

Louis closed his legs bashfully, his thighs touching, but neither of them minded. He moved a hand down to cover himself, but Harry gently stopped him, bringing his hand up to kiss the back of it.

"You've said it once or twice," Louis replied with a smile, remembering to not take himself so seriously all the time, to let loose. Harry said he would take care of him after all.   
"I remember when you called me- what was it? Golden and gorgeous?" Louis giggled earning a fond look from Harry.   
"D'you mean it?"

Harry's smile widened with Louis' as he reached down to slowly separate Louis' knees, spreading him out like before.   
"I'm gonna show you how much I mean it," Harry said, his voice slow and deep, making Louis' cock twitch between his legs. 

Then Harry was on his front, propped up on his elbows with his head between Louis' legs. He wrapped his arms around Louis' thighs, his hands on Louis' smooth sides, fingertips squeezing lightly as he dipped his head down to lick a gentle, teasing stripe up the underside of Louis.

"Ahh, Harry-" Louis breathed quietly, the warmth of Harry's tongue driving him absolutely insane. The metal of Harry's tongue ring pressed right against that prominent vein in the best way possible.

He had no idea what he was in for.

He reached down to rest his hands over Harry's, right as he pressed a kiss to Louis' tip.   
"Oh, my gosh.." he breathed and Harry rolled his eyes fondly at that, his tongue swirling around the head ever so slowly, causing Louis to let out a low moan, his fingers gripping at Harry's hands as he needed some sort of grip on reality.

Louis never thought he could feel this good and this wasn't even the half of it. He knew people did stuff like this all the time, be it for fun or whatever else, but he had no idea it felt this good.

He didn't want Harry to stop if he was being completely honest, so Louis was a bit grateful and also surprised to look down and watch Harry take him past his lips. Harry glanced up at Louis then, their vision locking on and staying that way as Harry pressed his tongue against the underside of Louis' cock, making him whine.

"Fuck--" Louis gasped, the word escaping as if it had a mind of it's own. "That _ring_.."

Harry hummed, pulling back for a moment to mumble, "hot when you swear," then dipped back down to envelope Louis in the warmth of his mouth.

Louis didn't say anything for a moment, his hands still desperately gripping onto Harry's at his sides, smiling when Harry's fingers tangled with his own. His lips were parted, but nothing came out. He was silent for a while, almost afraid that any noise he made would ruin the moment.

"Awfully quiet, babe," Harry teased when he pulled away again, this time to focus on Louis' thighs, scooting back slightly to kiss and nip at the inner sides of them. Louis' cock glistened with Harry's saliva, the tip leaking as he let Harry's hands go.

His palms came to rest on the tops of Louis' thighs, squeezing affectionately as he left a little mark every so often. Harry decided he'd stall for a bit until Louis begged for him. It wouldn't be long.

Louis twitched between his legs before he became vocal again.  
"Haz, please.." he begged, "p-_please _don't stop yet.. feels so good.. Harry--" he whined and Harry accepted his request, smirking like he always seemed to when he got his way.

"Say it again."

"What?"

"Say my name again," Harry's pupils were blown out wide like Louis', his lips pressing to the crease where Louis' thigh met his groin.

"H-Harry.." Louis shivered and his legs closed involuntarily, practically hugging Harry's head. Harry grinned at that, his hands easily spreading Louis' legs again as he pressed a kiss to Louis' thigh once more before returning his attention to Louis' aching cock.

The second Harry took Louis past his lips and his tongue ring made contact, Louis was coming with a loud whimper. Embarrassed, Louis grabbed the hem of the shirt he was wearing and covered his face with the dark fabric. His thighs shook uncontrollably and he was panting a bit, but Harry swallowed everything Louis gave, which was quite a lot considering it was Louis' very first orgasm.

Harry's hands gripped Louis' thighs a little harder to keep them spread in order to pull the boxers back up Louis' trembling legs. Once the small task was finished, Harry leaned up to gently pull the T-shirt away from Louis' face but the soc replaced it with his own hands.

Harry chuckled slightly, managing to pry Louis' hands away from his face. His eyes were closed and his lips formed somewhat of a frown. His entire face was pink and his skin was covered in the thinnest layer of sweat.   
"Lou," Harry said quietly, wiping a tiny droplet from Louis' arched brow. "Doll, look at me."

Louis slowly opened his eyes, they were glassy and his frown was still prominent even as he looked up at the greaser.

"What's the matter?" he asked sweetly, brushing Louis' hair out of his eyes.

"I.. I was fast.." Louis mumbled out, "I'm sorry."

Harry shook his head with that cute smile of his and it made Louis' heart skip a beat.   
"Don't apologize, Lou. You did so good," he said, thumbing over Louis' pink, bitten bottom lip.  
"Did so good for me, baby," he whispered, leaning down to kiss Louis softly and the soc didn't even mind that Harry's mouth had literally just been on his cock.   
"I promised I'd take care of you, yeah?" he whispered against Louis' lips.

Louis nodded, his bottom lip quivering slightly as his eyes welled up with tears, not for the previous reason, but because Harry cared so much about him. More than anyone else ever really had. Especially not Eleanor. Sure his parents cared, but not like this. This was different.

This was otherworldly.

"Why're you crying, darling?" Harry asked then, wiping a tear from Louis' cheek.

Louis didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around Harry's torso and clung to him, sobbing against his shoulder.

Harry rolled to the side then, laying on his back and bringing Louis with him, the hypersensitive boy wrapped up in Harry's arms. His legs were still like jelly, shaking slightly between Harry's.

Harry didn't press any further, just let Louis cry against him because it seemed much needed. Not many people had ever seen Louis break down like this. Niall was usually the one who held him until he stopped crying, helping him through whatever it was that was getting him down.

But that wasn't the case this time. Louis wasn't sad. He was _happy_. He felt wanted and cared for and that's just about all he's wanted for the past six years of his so-called 'relationship'. He found that with Harry in less than a year.

So Harry held him, bringing the blanket up around them when Louis finally fell asleep, his cheeks wet with traces of tears soaking into his skin. His lips parted with quiet little snores leaving them as Harry brought a hand up to run his fingers through Louis' hair, his other hand rested on Louis' back beneath the t shirt that he hadn't taken off since putting it on.

Harry would find out whatever Louis was so worked up about in the morning.

He was just happy to be there with this boy, kissing his head and massaging his scalp until he inevitably fell asleep beneath him, his arms around Louis' waist.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

"_Take my hand and come with me because you look so fine and I really wanna make you mine_."

**-Are You Gonna Be My Girl by, Jet**

**\---**

Throughout studying and taking his finals, Louis had managed to avoid Eleanor and her family. He hadn't seen any of them since that dinner about two weeks back and he honestly didn't really care.

He also hadn't seen or heard from Liam since he came out to him. He understood that not everyone would be as accepting as Niall but it really hurt. Liam had been his best friend since elementary school. It was always him, Niall, and Louis against the world. But nowadays it seems to be just Niall and Louis on their own.

Louis asks Niall if he's heard anything from Liam just about every time he spends time with the blonde and Niall shakes his head every time. Louis felt bad for making Niall guilty by association and he'd apologized endlessly for it, but Niall just shook it off. Of course it hurt, but there was nothing they could do about it then. They had to move on and get over it or it would end up driving them mad.

But when the day of their graduation finally came, Niall picked Louis up from his house in his graduation present; a brand new blue 1959 Ford Mustang with a black racing stripe down the middle. Both socs were dressed in normal clothes, but their graduation cap and gowns were laying across the backseats of the car's leather seats. 

Niall may or may not have drifted around the corner of Louis' block and while a few months back Louis would've scolded him for reckless driving, he just laughed and patted his hands against the dash excitedly then.

Louis seemed to forget about his problems in the midst of his slight rush of adrenaline. He was focusing on how happy he was to have aced his finals and been set up to graduate with honors. He wasn't even thinking about the fact that once he was graduated, his parents would make him check the mail everyday for responses from the colleges he applied for over spring break. He wasn't thinking about his future, he was just focused on the wind in his hair and his best friend in the driver's seat.

Their parents would meet them at the high school when it came time for the actual ceremony, but Niall and Louis wanted to be early for a reason. When they arrived to find students already arriving with their parents, the two discovered they weren't the only ones who wanted to be there sooner.

Niall mostly wanted to show off his Mustang in the parking lot, but Louis actually wanted to go inside and see what it was like. In Junior year when Louis was part of his school's student council, he got a chance to help decorate the hallways and the gym for the Seniors' graduation. He had met Sophia through countless hours of decorating after school and had the pleasure of introducing her and Liam one day at lunch. 

The two hit it off pretty quickly and since the day they got together, Louis would tease them about how he was a master match maker. Niall would joke about having Louis find him a girlfriend as well and they'd all laugh. But that seemed so long ago. Thinking back to it now that Liam wasn't speaking to them made Louis sad so he decided not to think about it.

Louis was shaken from those thoughts when Niall clapped a hand over his shoulder and they finally entered the school after Niall had driven around the school's parking lot about twelve times.

They wandered the schools' halls reminiscing about the good times they'd had, passing classrooms and old lockers.

"Remember when you puked in that one?" Niall pointed out locker #35 and Louis laughed, the sound echoing down the hallway.

"Remember when I shoved you against that one?" Louis asked in return, playfully shoving Niall to the side, his arm brushing with the lockers as he caught himself.

"Hey, knock it off," Niall chuckled, shoving Louis just as lightly to the other side. Louis caught himself easily before he took off in a sprint down the hall, leaving Niall to follow after him. They chased each other for a bit, up and down halls and staircases. On the second floor, they looked out of the massive windows at the top of the steps, watching people arrive and take photos with the sunlight outside.

When Niall spotted his parents and older brother Greg, he ushered Louis down the stairs and outside.

Louis wandered off on his own when his parents finally arrived with his sisters stuffed into their family's station wagon. He greeted his parents with big hugs, both of them were incredibly proud of their eldest child's success. Louis would remember the massive smiles on their faces for the rest of his life. Not only were they proud of him, but he was proud of himself as well.

**\---**

Louis and Niall were in the boy's locker room a bit before the ceremony would begin. Looking out at the gym from the locker room door, they could see parents and families arriving and filling in the bleachers and the chairs on the wooden floor.

There were a few other boys in the room as well but most of them had left to speak with their family and friends beforehand. Soon enough only Niall and Louis were left, just messing around and slacking off in the room. That was until the door opened and in walked someone unexpected: Harry.

"Haz?" Louis raised a brow, standing from the bench and walking closer to him. "What're you doing here?" he asked, hugging him tight nonetheless.

Harry smiled, hugging Louis back, "heard you were graduating. Thought I'd stop by," he joked, then noticed Niall sitting there. He chewed his lip awkwardly but Niall shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, man, I already know," Niall said and it made Harry smile, nodding as a thank you.

"What on Earth are you wearing?" Louis asked as he gave Harry a once over, raising a questioning brow as he did so.

Harry laughed. "Well, I couldn't exactly show up in soc territory dressed in blue jeans, showing off my ink to God and everybody," he answered as if it were obvious and Louis rolled his eyes, admiring the way Harry looked in a button up and slacks.

His hair was even down. Louis ran his fingers through Harry's curls, brows raising in surprise.

"What?" Harry asked.

"No grease," Louis noted.

"No grease," Harry nodded in confirmation.   
"Went all natural for you," he teased, Louis was finally understanding bits of innuendo. He still couldn't believe that Harry was here.

"I'm gonna go find my parents and get into my gown, Lou. See you," Niall said as he walked by the two in order to make it to the door that led out to the hallway. He turned back and sent a wink Louis' way before leaving without another word.

"Why'd you come?" Louis asked Harry then, looking up into his green eyes.

"To watch you graduate. Duh," Harry smirked. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

Louis' lips parted slightly at the term Harry used and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that yeah.. they were the very definition of the word 'boyfriends'.

"A bad one," Louis replied simply, standing on his toes to catch Harry's lips in a hasty kiss. Harry hummed in surprise, but went with it, letting Louis pin him back against the red gym lockers behind him.   
"Missed you," Louis mumbled breathlessly against his lips.

"You saw me last week," Harry chuckled when Louis wrapped his arms around his neck, jumping slightly and wrapping his legs around Harry's waist. Harry caught his thighs, holding him up and moving to press Louis against the lockers on the opposite side of the compact room.

Louis whimpered as he felt Harry's lips brush over his jawline, "too long.." he whispered and Harry smirked at the innuendo.   
"Oh, shut up," Louis giggled, knowing Harry was making a joke out of that.

"No, I agree, it _is_ too long," Harry laughed and Louis rolled his eyes, lightly kicking the back of Harry's thigh.

Harry let Louis go then and the soc pouted when his shoes made contact with the concrete floor again.   
"Why'd you drop me?" Louis asked as Harry walked backwards towards the adjoining bathroom, the swinging door opening with the weight of Harry's back leaning against it to push it open. 

Harry curled his finger, beckoning Louis to follow him and he laughed, giddy as he skipped over to the even smaller room and practically pounced onto the greaser. Louis unbuttoned the top three buttons of Harry's shirt, attacking his neck and jawline with quick kisses.

Harry laughed and carried Louis all the way back to the last stall, stepping into it and closing the door behind them. The moment he set Louis down again, he was gasping because Louis' hand was slipping into his pants, curving over the outline of his steadily hardening cock. 

"F-Fuck, Lou--" Harry breathed, letting Louis corner him into the wall.

"You're hot when you swear," Louis bit his lip, earning a laugh from Harry.

"Good thing I do it all the time then, eh?" he replied, taking Louis' hands and turning them around so he could sit on the seat of the toilet, pulling Louis into his lap. Louis straddled Harry's thighs, letting Harry undo the button and zip of his slacks.

Louis gasped when Harry gripped his hips, grinding Louis down against him.   
"H-Harry--" he whined, shivering when Harry's clothed tip brushed against his own, the undersides of them sliding side by side quite easily despite still being clothed.

"What, baby?" Harry bit his lip harshly, letting Louis roll his hips downward.

"Feels good.." Louis moaned and Harry was living for the sounds he was making even if they were quiet. They couldn't be too loud considering they were in a school and anybody could walk in at any given second. 

But that just seemed to add onto the thrill, the rush.

Who would've thought Louis an exhibitionist?

The two continued on like this for a bit, both panting and moaning messes in the farthest stall.

"H-Harry, don't stop--" Louis whined, his fingers in Harry's hair, tugging at the ringlets at his nape, earning a low groan from the greaser.

"Mm, didn't plan on it.." Harry whispered against Louis' neck, his tongue pressing to the skin just below Louis' ear, teeth grazing over the spot lightly but not hard enough to leave a mark.

"Where's your ring?" Louis breathed when he couldn't feel it against his skin.

"Took it out," Harry replied, his hands still working Louis' hips down onto his own.

"You did all this for me?" Louis moaned at a particularly hard grind from Harry, his hands fisting Harry's button up that had been completely unbuttoned by then.

"I'd do anything for you," Harry said in rebuttal, looking up into Louis' eyes before the soc was crashing their lips together once more.

Just then, the door of the locker room opened, the squeak of the metal echoing throughout the room.

The pair stopped all movements then, staying completely still.

"Louis?"

"Shit, it's my dad," Louis whispered, cringing as his heartbeat picked up speed.   
"Yeah?" he called out to Will in his normal voice, hoping he didn't sound as out of breath as he really was. Harry just nuzzled his face into the crook of Louis' neck, pressing a soft kiss there.

Will peeked around the corner of the bathroom entryway, not properly stepping in, but he was able to see the farthest stall was closed. Luckily for the two, Will could not see underneath the stall from that angle. 

"You alright, son?"

"Yeah, m'fine! Just uh.. finishing up in here," Louis replied, cheeks flushing a dark red as Harry pursed his lips to keep himself from laughing.

"Alright.. Well, your mom asked me to find you.. tell you the ceremony is starting soon and she wants pictures," Will informed him, feeling equally as awkward but for completely different reasons.

"Alright, I'll be out in just a minute," Louis assured and he could feel Harry smiling against his skin. With that, Will left the locker room and as soon as the door clicked shut, Louis let out the breath he was holding.

Harry laughed, the endearing sound filling Louis with absolute delight.   
"Just uh.. finishing up in here," Harry mimicked Louis, earning a playful shove from the soc.

"Shut up, it isn't funny!" Louis replied, but his smile said otherwise. "We could've been caught and it would've been you that he'd finish up in here."

Harry raised his brows, his smile widening at that, trying his hardest not to laugh.

It took him a minute, but Louis realized just how wrong that sounded and shook his head, "gross!" he cringed, brows furrowing at the older boy.

"You said it," Harry shrugged, "though we should probably get out of here. Wouldn't want to miss out on your diploma," he said, though he didn't even know what it was like to have or receive one.

Louis pouted like a child then, bouncing in Harry's lap in a slight tantrum, "b-but we didn't get to finish.."

"Aw, don't worry, sweet cheeks," Harry cooed, "I'll make it up to you. But for now.. to be continued?" he asked with a gentle kiss to Louis' pink lips.

Louis sighed, "to be continued.." a bit disappointed that their moment had been cut short. He stood from Harry's lap and adjusted himself so his slacks would sit right. Even if his body would be hidden behind his graduation gown, he still didn't want to be walking around with a semi.

Harry did the same when he stood, running his fingers through the curls at the sides of his head before flicking his head to the side so his fringe would fix itself. Louis chewed his lip as he watched him because, "that was really cute."

Harry hummed at that, "cute isn't very rock n' roll."

Louis shook his head as he turned to let himself out of the stall.  
"Take a compliment, will you?" he teased, glancing back at Harry as he walked over to the sinks. Harry's eyes trailed up the length of Louis' body as he followed behind. 

Louis fixed his appearance in the mirror with Harry's reflection showing behind him.   
"You might want to button it all the way up again," he said, pointing to his own neck to show Harry what he was talking about.

"Oh, right," Harry said as he looked down at his half-unbuttoned flannel. He pursed his lips slightly because had he been anywhere else with anyone else, he wouldn't have cared if people saw the marks, but he really wasn't kidding when he said he'd do anything for Louis. He longed for a day when people wouldn't really give a shit if two boys were falling for each other, but he knew that wouldn't come for decades.

He buttoned his shirt all the way up, tugging at the neck a bit because it was snug against his Adam's apple. The bruising marks were hidden behind his clothing and if Josh were there with them, he would've made fun of how 'whipped' Harry was for Louis. Harry didn't see anything wrong with trying his best to spoil Louis. Not that he really could, considering he was a high school dropout with a job that doesn't pay for shit.

"You should probably leave before me, also.. just in case someone sees," Louis told Harry's reflection, offering a sad half smile because he hated that he had to hide Harry away from everyone like some big secret because, well, he was a secret. No matter how sad it made him feel, Harry still complied, stepping forward to place an endearing kiss to the back of Louis' head, his hand gracing Louis' hip for a split second before he was turning to leave, the warmth leaving with him.

Harry managed to sneak into the ceremony undetected. It wasn't like anyone really knew who he was unless they'd seen him around town. He wasn't really worried about someone recognizing him. He was worried about getting jumped. He just hoped that his temporary change in appearance would help save his ass for the afternoon. Harry found himself shaking his head. 

The things he was willing to do to prove how much he cared for Louis.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleanor wants her boyfriend back.

_ **[TRIGGER WARNING]** _

"_The universe is gonna get ya. Bad karma's a bitch_."

**-Bad Karma by, Ida Maria**

**\---**

If you really sat down and thought about it, Louis Tomlinson was the kind of person who deserved the world. Only a select few really understood this. Louis was unfortunately not one of them. It's quite typical of him, however. The ones who deserve it all usually feel as if they deserve nothing.

Harry, for example, knew this very well. He knew Louis deserved the world. Hell, he deserved the universe and all it's wonderful constellations. But did he deserve someone like Louis? He hadn't quite determined that yet, but he was getting there. He believed Louis was too good for any mere mortal. As if Louis were some type of god. Maybe even an adonis.

One person Harry knew that definitely did not deserve Louis, was Eleanor. She of course begged to differ. In her eyes, Louis didn't deserve her. Which is why it would be considered a little silly that she was trying so damn hard to make him jealous.

You see, Eleanor isn't exactly stupid. She may not know the extent of the relationship between Louis and that greaser he's been hanging around with. But she does know that she doesn't like it. They used to go out every other night. They used to do those cute things couples do; hold hands, give each other little kisses, share milkshakes, the lot. But now it seems that every time Eleanor has free time set aside for Louis, he's using that time to be with a group of lowlifes.

And she doesn't fucking get it. She doesn't know what people like the greasers could possibly have to offer a guy like Louis. She doesn't understand why he keeps going back, why he's always leaving the safety of the North side of town to be with the South side wash-ups.

In the grand scheme of things, she didn't really mean for it to escalate as far as it did, but she couldn't exactly change what happened.

Eleanor had one simple idea. She would travel to the South side and worm her way into some random house party, get a little drunk, and dance with some strangers. She mainly wanted to get back at Louis for always being too busy for her, but it became something much more than that the longer she stayed at said party.

She'd had a few too many to drink and woke up in someone else's bed. That's all she really remembered from the night before. She remembered dark eyes and a hand leading her upstairs, but it's all blurry after that. There's a little memory of a woman being in the room with them for a moment. She was shouting something, but Eleanor didn't know who she was or what she was screaming about exactly.

Once she left, Eleanor had blacked out and whoever the woman was must not've been too determined to get her point across if she left so soon.

Eleanor tried to let it go as she stuffed herself back into her clothes from the night before and climbed back through her bedroom window.

She slid through the window and sighed in relief. Her head throbbed a bit and she suddenly remembered why she didn't enjoy wild parties like her other peers did, even though they also didn't seem like the type to get smashed either. She dropped her heels beside her bed and when she went downstairs, she checked the answering machine records for voicemails, expecting one from Louis catching her up on his week or at least saying goodnight.

The machine played nothing as she wandered into the bathroom, tying her hair out of her face so she could get cleaned up. Eleanor looked into her mirror and shook her head in disbelief.

This was her boyfriend. Was she less important than these damn greasers? That just wouldn't do. Eleanor knew that she had to regain her place as #1 in her boyfriend's eyes. She leaned against the sink, thinking and bit back a smile as a plan formulated in her mind. She let her hair down and got undressed as she made her way into the shower to wash off the smell of sex and alcohol from the night before.

It was a little later that morning when Will called Louis down, stating that Eleanor wished to speak with him over the phone urgently.   
"She sounds pretty upset," Will whispered as a warning, patting Louis' shoulder supportively before handing the phone off to his son and walking away, giving him privacy.

Louis cleared his throat slightly, the lump in it not seeming to go away as his heart sped up. He was just waiting for her to tell him that she found out, that she knew everything. Every detail of his whereabouts lately.   
"Uh.. H-Hello? El?" he asked hesitantly, gripping the phone nervously in his clammy hand. 

All Louis heard was hiccups through the phone.   
"Uhm Lou? Can you c-come over please?" she asked brokenly. Louis could hear her trying to control herself enough to get the question out.

Louis closed his eyes, stifling a sigh as he tried his best to sound like a supportive boyfriend.  
"Babe, have you been crying? What's the matter?" he asked, biting his lip at the name he called her because he hadn't called her that--or _anything_\--in weeks.   
That pet name seemed to be reserved for a certain greaser as of late.

At the sound of the pet name, Eleanor broke down more.   
"I-I need you here right now. S-Something happened." 

Louis swallowed thickly at the sound of her voice and nodded even though she couldn't exactly see it through the phone.   
"A-Alright. I'll be there as soon as possible," he said, hanging up after and rubbing his face with his hands. He took a moment to breathe as he walked to the living room, telling his parents that he was going to Eleanor's for a bit, which was a bit strange considering he hadn't been there since school was still in session.

He left without another word, however, taking a streetcar down to Eleanor's neighborhood and walked the rest of the way to her actual house. It was a routine he'd taken up years ago. He memorized every little crack in the sidewalk, every flat piece of chewing gum that had been discarded carelessly onto the streets he crossed. But that didn't matter to him as he approached Eleanor's house and proceeded to knock on the front door, bouncing anxiously on his heels.

There was a long wait that almost begged Louis to knock again. Before he did, the door was pulled open to reveal his girlfriend dressed in some random shirt and her silk pajama bottoms. Her hair was wet and messily dragged into a bun that sat at the top of her head.

Most surprising, or not considering he knew she had been crying, was her bare face, puffy eyes, and wet cheeks. She seemed to have calmed down since earlier, so that was good.

Eleanor gave a weak smile and stepped aside to let him through. Even as the mess she seemed to be, it was instilled in her to be gracious when company arrived Louis thought. He heard the heavy door shut behind him as he stood, waiting. 

"You know where my bedroom is, Lou," she said hoarsely, "just up there will be fine." 

Louis pursed his lips at the name he was called, but awkwardly led the way up to Eleanor's bedroom as he had done so many times before. Though he can honestly say, he'd never felt so out of place before and he hangs out with the outsiders.

Her door was already open, so there was no need for him to let himself in. He just tried his best to act like he normally would when visiting and took a seat at the edge of her bed that he was more than familiar with. What shook Louis the most was the fact that he felt like he'd just been called to the principle's office, even though they had graduated not long before.

Eleanor shut the door behind her softly even though no one else was home. It just made her feel more enclosed and like this was more personal. As she walked to sit on a chair beside her vanity she wrung her hands nervously. 

"Sorry to call you over like this.."

Louis shook his head at that, pursing his lips as he wiped his clammy hands on the thighs of his trousers. 

"N-No, no, it's fine, really.." he said, though he wouldn't mention the fact that his father calling his name from the bottom of the steps woke him from a nice sleep.   
"But you uh.. you sounded pretty upset over the phone, El.. what's the matter? Has something happened?"

Eleanor's bottom lip wobbled and Louis braced himself for whatever she was about to say. It didn't really help Louis' case that Eleanor was a phenomenal actress, either.   
"I-I snuck out to a party last night.." she confessed with minimal tears and Louis pursed his lips but didn't say anything, because let's face it, he's done a lot worse. He let her continue and that's probably not the first mistake he's made.   
"And I was just going to dance or talk to people, you know? Make friends. But the next thing I know, I'm drunk and this guy.. he took my hand and he pulled me upstairs and h-he.. he forced me to.. do things.."

Louis' brows furrowed at that, his lips parting for a moment, a bit speechless. He never thought he'd have to deal with a situation like this, but then again nobody does.

Eleanor was sobbing by then and that's when Louis decided he should probably say something. He leaned forward slightly, resting a hand on her knee as if that would help any.   
"Who was this guy, El? What did he look like?" he asked, and he may or may not've been thinking of confronting whoever this guy was. Sure he's relatively small for his age, but that doesn't mean he can't at least try to do something.

"I don't know!" she sobbed and Louis pulled his hand back to rub his face stressfully.   
Never in a million years did Louis expect to hear what Eleanor said next: "h-he mentioned Harry! Said Harry would be happy he was doing it!" another sob.

Louis' brows furrowed, his straight line of a mouth angling down into the deepest frown. 

"Did he?" he asked, though it sounded more like a statement or observation than a question.

Eleanor nodded and practically flung herself onto Louis, her arms around his neck as she cried. Louis just held her as he would have any other time in the past. He couldn't help but feel like this was all his fault.

Of course he couldn't have exactly changed what happened, considering it already happened. But he found himself thinking that if he had just done the right thing and distanced himself from Harry, then this wouldn't have happened. He knew there was going to be consequences for his actions, but he didn't think those consequences would be pushed onto someone else. Especially not Eleanor.

So now he's got this extra guilt sitting on his shoulders, and he feels selfish. He thinks that if wasn't such a selfish prick, this wouldn't have happened. If he had just been the good little soc everyone thought he was, he and El wouldn't be in this mess. But he couldn't change what happened. He couldn't change the fact that his curiosity got the best of him and that he acted out of pure self-interest.

He found himself wondering what Harry's motives could have possibly been for actually sending a person to assault someone. Louis thought that maybe Harry thought if he got rid of El, he could have Louis all to himself. Louis doesn't think of himself as conceited, but he finds himself thinking of Harry as a greaser, not as the boy he was starting to fall in love with.

Louis doesn't know why he even thought that Harry would even be different. This wasn't some fairytale where the bad boy turned out to be good and they lived happily ever after.

This also couldn't possibly have been the first time Harry tricked someone into thinking he wasn't your typical greaser. Louis thinks he wouldn't be surprised if Harry was fucking someone else right that very moment. Then he thought of just how many opportunities there have been for Harry to fuck someone else while they'd had this thing together. Louis didn't even know what to call that thing. But whatever it was, it was over. That's the one thing Louis was certain of.

"Do your parents know?" Louis asked then, his eyes glassy and his voice breaking slightly, but he told himself to think of his girlfriend and what happened instead of the fact that he let a greaser break him.

Eleanor shook her head then, pulling back slightly and saying, "no. I don't know how to tell them."

Louis shook his head as well, "El, you've got to tell them. The sooner the better," he said, chewing his lip afterward as he thought some things over.   
"Are you going to be alright if I leave for a bit?" he asked and Eleanor visibly sagged at that.

"I don't want you to leave me," she said and that shattered whatever was left of Louis' heart. His emotions were jumbling together in his brain and he wanted to shut it all off. He wanted a reset button to take him back to that night at the drive in so he could prevent any of this from happening. He didn't even know why he thought bumming it with a few lowlifes was a better idea than having a financially stable marriage with a girl he's known practically all his life. It was familiar. It was safe.

"I'm not going to leave you, El," he shook his head, though he wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep that promise. Regardless of Louis & Harry being together, Louis knew for certain that he did not feel the same about his girlfriend anymore. If there's one silver lining to all of this, it's that Harry helped Louis realize that he didn't want to waste his future in a relationship he wasn't happy with.

But even that small silver lining wasn't enough to outweigh what had just happened.   
"I'll be back tonight, okay? We'll stay up late a-and we'll talk just like we used to and I'll buy us ice cream and we'll tell your parents together. How does that sound?"

Eleanor's eyes flicked up to Louis' then and she resembled a deer caught in headlights.   
"O-Okay.." she said and Louis could see the hesitation in her eyes, but didn't think much of it. To him, she was just nervous about telling them something this devastating, which was exactly what she wanted him to think. But in reality, she didn't want to dig herself deeper into this lie. She didn't want her parents involved, she just wanted her boyfriend back. Eleanor really didn't think this through as well as she thought she had. There would be consequences.

Louis stood then, straightening out his khakis and letting out the tiniest of sighs as he turned to face her and bent down to kiss her cheek as a goodbye. None of it felt natural.

He left her house then, her parents were still gone. They left a lot, he recalled. But he had bigger things to worry about then that the whereabouts of Eleanor's parents.

The first thing that happened after Harry answered Matty & Sky's front door, was the punch Louis landed to Harry's jawline. And even if it hurt his hand, he didn't let himself react to the feeling.

"What the fuck was that f--?!" a crease formed between Harry's brows and while Louis usually found the furrow of them dead sexy, he didn't let himself focus on that either. Harry rubbed his jaw with his hand and for just a split second, Louis felt bad, but shook it off.

"You sent someone to fucking assault Eleanor?!" Louis shouted at him, a rare gruffness to his usual octave. Harry opened his frowning lips to speak, but Louis interrupted him yet again.   
"You know what?! Save the fucking excuses, Harry! I don't want to hear them! I never want to hear your fucking voice again!"

"I don't even know what the fuck you're accusing me of!" Harry yelled in the same octave, goosebumps raised on Louis' skin because Harry's never yelled like that before. At least not around him. He honestly felt like crumbling in on himself, but he tried his best to hold his ground because he brought himself there for a reason.

"Don't play dumb, you know exactly what you did!" Louis shook his head with a rueful laugh because, "I can't believe I even let myself think that you were different," he said in the smallest voice. His eyes watered but he blinked the moisture away before looking at Harry with the biggest look of disappointment. The saddest of it all was that he didn't even know who he was more ashamed of, Harry or himself.

"What are you even saying, Lou?" Harry asked then, his jaw clenched tight.

"Don't fucking call me that, you-you-_greaser_!" Louis seethed, the last word sifting through his teeth like poison. "You're a snake and a liar and the biggest load of filth I've come across in a while and I would rather marry Eleanor than be around someone like you for so much as a single second. You're nothing! I can't believe I let myself think you were different. There's a special place in Hell for people like you," each word came from the deepest amount of hatred in Louis' body.

"Louis.." Harry said just above a whisper and he wasn't sad because of anything Louis said (he'd learned to take shit like that a long time ago, obviously) but because Louis believed whatever it was that Eleanor told him.

Louis didn't respond, his eyes still showing shame for the greaser in front of him. His name from Harry's lips didn't sound right anymore. It didn't bring butterflies to his stomach like before.

"Did Eleanor tell you that?" he asked in the same quiet tone, though Harry already knew the answer and Louis shook his head.

"It doesn't matter who told me," Louis said then, "because regardless of who told me.. whatever it is that we had here? It's done. I'm done. It's over."

"Lou--"

"Don't call me that, hood!" Louis shouted and the name that used to be used as a sort of pet name, was said with the deepest amount of anguish.

Harry was silent for a bit, both of them just staring at each other, but their eyes said it all. Louis' disappointment and Harry's utter confusion and hurt.

"I would never do something like that. Louis, you gotta believe me.." Harry tried again, a lump in his throat making him swallow thickly, but Louis shook his head again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"I don't know why I ever believed you," Louis whispered, looking him square in the eye before turning away.   
"Go to hell for me, would you?" he asked rhetorically before he made his exit and Harry watched him go until his silhouette was too small to even recognize as Louis.

To say the very least, Harry didn't take any of it too well. Of course growing up with a father like he had taught him to grow practically immune to insults. But it wasn't the words that were being said that bothered him. It was the person saying them. Louis with his usual light, airy voice screaming at him around a lie that had been conjured up who even knows where.

Saying he didn't take it to well, didn't necessarily mean he just broke down into tears and didn't speak to anybody. He didn't want to burden his friends with his presence, with his deflated self esteem and happiness.

So he went home. To his real home with his parents and his sister.

You'd think he would've learned by then that his real home wasn't the safe place it used to be. When he used to come home from school with a scratch or when he scraped up his elbows and knees at the park, he'd go straight to his mom just as any ordinary kid would. But then his dad decided that hitting the bottles every night was better than dealing with his family and that beating them was better than loving them.

Harry can still remember the last time he ever told his father he loved him and he shudders every time the memory creeps up from the back of his mind.

So Harry went home with the goal of ripping up that note Louis gave him at the diner. A time that felt like so long ago, despite it only being a few months in the past. Time flies and it doesn't slow down for anyone.

But his goal was never met because he never even made it to the stairs. The only thing he managed to achieve was the reminder that his father was a lot stronger than him despite being much older, and the busted lip, black eye, and mild concussion he ended up with from defending his family just proved that point even further.

So Harry ran from his home life. From his mom and his sister and the note and anything else that was holed up in that broken home that he didn't even consider a home anymore.

He decided that burdening his friends with his heartbreak would've been the better choice over returning to Matty's looking like a walking corpse but time slows down for no one and he knows that.

Harry pushed the door open to Matty's. Everyone was in a circle passing a bowl around. Josh was the first to notice and waved him over. Sky saw the bruises and shook her head.   
"Jesus, H. What happened?"

Harry sat with them in the circle of various friends, and only then did it really sink in just how bad he probably looked. He didn't get a chance to assess the damage before rushing back, but by the looks on his friends' faces, it must've been pretty bad.   
"Nothin'," he said, brushing it off as he was handed the pipe and he took as long a hit as his lungs could muster, but it didn't quite help like he hoped. He held the smoke in as he passed the bowl to Josh.

It was typical of Harry to answer like that. Of course it wasn't the first time he'd returned from his family's house like this. They'd all seen it. The bruises, the busted lips, the scrapes, all of it.

In the past, Sky & Perrie would clean him up while Matty made him a drink and Josh & Zayn would get Harry to vent to him. It was a process. But that process died out a while ago. Harry got defensive now. He built up a wall and they all knew it.

As Harry looked around the circle, he noticed Perrie & Zayn were missing. 

"They off screwing or something?" he asked with a certain bite to his tone that they all picked up on.

"Dunno.." Sky answered, despite his question being somewhat rhetorical. 

"Harry, are you sure you're alright? It's just.. it looks worse than usual.." she persisted and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Jesus, I said I'm fine, Sky. Get off my fucking back," Harry's brows furrowed, seeming to deepen the hollow of his black eye.

Matty glared at him then, "you'd be smart to keep your mouth shut, H," he said in a warning tone, wrapping a protective arm around Sky's shoulders, though she didn't seem fazed. It took a lot to break a girl like Sky. Josh chose to stay out of it as he hit the bowl.

Harry shook his head like the moody teenager he seemed to be that night.   
"Whatever. Where's the booze?" he asked as he stood and made his way to the kitchen, raiding the fridge and the cabinets until he found a bottle of vodka and a red plastic cup. He dumped as much alcohol as he could fit into the cup and drank it, letting it burn his throat the way he was familiar with.

He did this about three times until he was unrecognizable. No matter how many times Sky insisted that she at least clean his lip or disinfect the gash above his eyebrow, he just mumbled something incoherently before he hid away in his room for the night. His head was swimming painfully, but the sober side of his brain figured all that mattered was that he wasn't thinking of his Louis.

Because to Harry, losing Louis hurt worse than anything his father had ever put him through.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perrie clears things up.

_ **[TRIGGER WARNING]** _

"_What you call love, baby, I call hell_."

**-Baby I Call Hell by, Deap Vally**

**\---**

Harry woke up the next morning (technically afternoon considering he slept the day away) with a pounding headache. His throat burned with each swallow and his brain seemed to throb against his skull. Alcohol and concussions don't mix well, he discovered.

But like anyone with a hangover, Harry didn't wake up too happy. He felt he didn't have a reason to be happy. The wailing, feminine sobs coming from the front room didn't help the cranial throbbing sensation he was feeling, but he still managed to shuffle down the hallway despite his gait being somewhat zombie-like.

He had a cigarette in his hand that he had swiped from his bed table, planning to light it when he woke up, but he just leaned against the frame of the arch that led into the living room and he wiped the sleep from his eyes. When the blurriness was finally eradicated, Harry could make out who exactly those sobs belonged to. Two heads of blonde hair were seated on the couch. Matty was hidden away in the kitchen, most likely smoking a quick cigarette and making himself busy with the coffeemaker as Harry finally entered the room.

He yawned and frowned somewhat when he saw that it was Perrie who was responsible for the pitiful cries.   
"What's happened?" Harry asked then, the sound of his voice making the blondes jump slightly as he placed the cigarette behind his ear so he didn't have to hold it.

Perrie's blue eyes were glassy and red-rimmed with small streaks of grey dripping down her cheeks from her makeup most likely. Harry blinked away from her gaze for a moment because the blue of them tugged painfully at his heart strings.

"D-Did I wake you u-up?" Perrie asked when Harry finally glanced back at her.   
"I-I'm sorry, H. I heard you had a b-bad night last night, I'm sorry!" she cried and Harry shook his head as he moved around the coffee table to sit next to her, sandwiching the crying girl between him and Sky.

"Don't worry about that, babe," Harry just shook his head, ignoring its throb as he moved a few strands of her blonde hair back and behind her ear. "You wanna tell us what happened?"

Perrie's lip wobbled but she still managed a nod.   
"I-I walked in on Zayn a-and--" another sob from Perrie had Sky pursing her lips. Sky and Harry shared looks of sympathy. Whatever had happened, Harry knew Perrie didn't deserve it. She was the kindest of all of them. Harry often wondered what someone like Perrie saw in people like them.

"It's okay," Harry consoled her, wrapping an arm around her back to lightly rub over her bicep and Sky gave him a look that was her way of saying, '_thanks for not being a complete dick_'.

"It was Zayn and E-Eleanor!" Perrie cried so hard, Harry wondered how she hadn't lost her voice yet. But after pondering that thought, his brain snapped back to focus on the task at hand and realized what Perrie had just said.

"Wait, what? Zayn and--? There's no way. You were seeing things. Had to be," Harry shook his head and Sky's thankful look faded to a frown that said, '_really dude_?'

Harry thought it over for a moment. He knew Eleanor lied to Louis, but he didn't think she'd go _that_ far. He knew there would be some sort of consequence for limiting Louis' time with Eleanor, but he never thought she would do this. Which was strange to him, because in hindsight, she's exactly the type of person to pull something like this. It was only a matter of time.

"I-It was!! It was her! I saw her face! I saw her hair! I saw _everything_! Zayn's face when he was--Oh, _God_!!" Perrie wailed, latching herself onto Harry and crying against his chest.   
"He told me I was all he ever wanted! He told me he loved me! Why is he doing this?!"

Harry tried to focus more on Perrie than anything else as he ran his fingers through her hair that was surprisingly soft considering she looked as if she hadn't slept in days.   
"He doesn't know how good he's got it," Harry tried, then Perrie pulled back slightly to look at him with those painfully _blue _eyes. 

Why did almost everyone around him have to have blue eyes?   
Why was he even worrying about that right then?

"He doesn't know how good he _had_ it," she shook her head and Harry took the opportunity to thumb her tears away, vaguely wanting to drown in her irises, but he blinked himself out of those thoughts fairly quickly. He wished everyone would just stop looking at him, if he was honest.

Harry nodded in agreement and didn't protest when she hid her face in his chest again. He figured he probably didn't smell the best, but the way she was sniffling told Harry that her nose was too stuffy to properly smell anything anyways, so he didn't dwell on that.

When Matty came in with a few mugs of coffee, he nodded towards Harry as a '_hello, good morning_', and apologized when he didn't have a mug for Harry.

Harry assured him that it was okay, that he was going to shower and stick to drinking water for the rest of the day to flush out the poison in his body and Matty agreed somewhat.

The hot mug of joe seemed to calm Perrie a bit as she rested her head against the back of the couch and she almost looked asleep but her eyes were just rested shut peacefully. Well, as peacefully as she could manage after what had happened.

Harry took this time to excuse himself to the shower, where he just focused on smelling decent more than anything else, really. When he got out, he didn't even bother looking at himself in the mirror because he'd seen it all before. Nothing could surprise him anymore. He knew what his eyes looked like when they were bruised, what his lip looked like when it was busted, he knew about the slit above his eyebrow that would most likely leave a scar behind. He simply just didn't care anymore.

After a bit of talking it out and calming down, Perrie eventually fell asleep against the couch in an uncomfortable-looking upright position, so after getting dressed, Harry lifted her with ease, trying his best to make sure she wouldn't wake up as he made his way to his room. He turned off the lights, though the sunlight from outside shined dully through the curtains on his window, and he lay her down in the warm sheets. The sunlight helped to keep the usually cool room at a satisfying temperature.

He pulled the comforter up over her shoulder and watched with a fond smile as she subconsciously curled up in the sheets, her dainty fingers clutching the pillow beside her head.

He left then, closing the door behind him and he decided he could use a cigarette or five. 

So he stepped out onto the front steps, his socked feet resting on the bottom step, but his bum on the top. There were only about four steps, so he managed to dwarf the small case of stairs as he pulled the cigarette from it's spot behind his ear and patted the filter against his palm.

Then he was placing the end between his teeth and lighting it, the first inhale burning against his throat which hurt a little more than usual because of the absolute torture he'd put his throat through the night before with the alcohol he'd consumed. Harry questioned his decisions a lot, especially as of late.

He yawned out a puff of smoke and by the time the sun had started to set, he was down to about a quarter of the pack. Chain smoking wasn't a usual thing for Harry but he didn't care. He didn't care about the damage his body was caused anymore because he figured other people were more important. The people around him.

Then finally, when the sky became a mix of blues and pinks and purples and oranges, Harry looked up from the dirt in front of him when a crisp pair of converse entered his line of sight. Glancing up, Harry was surprised (to say the _very_ least) to find a pair of blue eyes that belonged to his favorite soc. At first he thought he might be hallucinating, but even rubbing over his eyes didn't make Louis go away.

"I heard what happened to Perrie. Where is she? Is she okay?" Louis asked, and the way his eyes held no sort of emotion that could be hidden by his incredible poker face, Harry figured Perrie really was the reason Louis was there. Which was understandable. He knew they were friends. It's just--he started remembering the times Louis lied to his parents to be with _him_.

Harry could've just told Louis that Eleanor cheated but it was no use because one: it wasn't his place to tell him, and two: why would Louis believe him anyways?   
Especially after the episode from the night before.

"She's asleep," Harry mumbled, his voice gruff and scratchy and catching Louis off guard for a second.

"Well, when do you think she'll be up?" Louis asked, slightly snappy and Harry would've blamed it on the fact that Louis might've just woken up if it weren't for the fact that it was near dark.

Harry shrugged, "she's been asleep a few hours. She's okay though, I guess. Just crying a lot," he explained as he smacked the filter of yet another cigarette against his palm, rolling it between his fingers a few times just to kill time, he guessed.

"Sleep is good," Louis said as he took a seat on the steps beside Harry. Harry glanced down at the space between them, finding only a few inches. He didn't know what exactly Louis was doing, but he hoped Louis didn't plan on staying too much longer because Louis hating him was torture, therefore Louis being there was torture.

Louis' eyes flicked up to Harry's profile when he heard the lighter spark and he found himself watching the way the smoke emanated from Harry's lips. His lip that was busted and Louis didn't know why.   
"What happened to your face?" he asked, having noticed the rest of the damage beforehand.

"You don't really care, so why bother?" Harry asked rhetorically then and Louis sighed.

"Fair enough."

In all honesty, Louis really did care. Harry always seemed to be covered in bruises or scrapes or cuts and Louis always cared, including now, despite his words from the previous night. 

It's just that now he wasn't sure whether he could act on it or not considering their situation. He sat there awkwardly for a few seconds, crossing his arms.

Two cigarette drags worth of waiting for Louis to say something else had Harry sighing out the smoke and saying, "you just gonna wait here until she wakes up?" with an incredulous look on his busted up face, as if begging Louis to '_just leave please, you're killing me_'.

"I want to be here for her. She's my friend now, too, whether you like it or not and I want to help. I can't even imagine what she's going through," Louis shook his head, standing from the steps and for a split second, Harry thought he was leaving, but he just stood there. It was bittersweet having Louis there.

Harry looked forward at seemingly nothing then. 

"Yeah," he agreed quietly, flicking ash onto the dirt, "can't believe he'd do something like that. I mean he's like my best friend.. a brother basically, and just--yeah. Cheating on someone you love is disgusting." 

Louis bounced on his heels uncomfortably before getting a bit defensive.   
"Disgusting is harsh. I mean I'm not condoning what he did but I cheated on El with you, so what does that make me?" 

Harry shook his head, still not looking up at Louis even as he said, without missing a beat, "that's different. El doesn't love you and we both know it." 

Louis scoffed and leaned against the wall beside him. 

"What do you mean? She obviously does, she tells me all the time." 

Harry wanted to roll his eyes so he did without shame, "anybody can _tell _you they love you. Doesn't mean they're telling the truth. You've got to _show _them," he said as calmly as he could because his blood was boiling and he noticed that when he shouted the night before, Louis faltered a bit, so he toned it down.

Louis paused on these words for a moment, thinking about all the times both he and Eleanor had said they loved each other. It wasn't exactly a lie when he told her. There was a time when he loved her in the beginning. He just thought that love was supposed to grow quieter as time moved on with that person. Louis shook his head, more confused now than ever before. 

"Yeah, 'cause you'd _obviously_ know what love is and what it's like to mean it," he snapped.

Harry looked back at Louis with furrowed brows, "and _you_ _do_?" he stood then, crushing the finished cigarette against the wall Louis was leaning on.

Louis was quiet for a second but quickly replied with, "I've been with El for years. Of course I know."

Harry actually laughed at that, making Louis scowl deeper than he was before.   
"You're so fucking clueless," he muttered and Louis pushed himself off the wall, standing up straighter and sort of puffing his chest up.

"How am I--?"

"Because if you'd just open your fucking eyes once in a while, you'd see that El doesn't love you!" Harry said exasperatedly, his voice raised slightly but not quite shouting yet.   
"No matter how many times she tells you, she'll never really mean it and you know that."

"Why are you acting like you care so much?" Louis tried to be defensive but it was a front to hide the fact that this reality check sort of hurt. He just stood his ground in front of Harry, looking up at him with those blue eyes that were somewhat grey and angry, but still _so fucking_ _pretty_.

"Because I love you and I fucking mean it!" Harry's eyes were slightly wide, mostly because he wasn't sure if he should've said that but it was the truth.   
He really did mean it. He swallowed thickly and closed his mouth to gauge Louis' reaction.

Harry watched Louis' previously puffed chest deflate with his shocked exhale. Louis looked away, unable to look at anything in that moment.

"W-Well, that's too bad.." Louis shook his head, swallowing to suppress a whimper because _Harry loved him_. "I'm with Eleanor and I shouldn't have been so selfish as to cheat on her. Especially not with _you_."

"Oh, for God's sake," Harry said, leaning forward to steal a kiss from the shorter boy because he wasn't sure if he'd ever get another chance to do it again.

"What the fuck?!"

"Louis, it was Eleanor," Harry shook his head, just coming right out with it because he figured nobody else was going to and clearly Louis wasn't getting any hints.

"What was Eleanor?!" Louis asked, seeming genuinely confused as to what Harry was telling him. But in all reality, he was still trying to get over that fact that _Harry loved him and his lips were rough in the best way_.

"Zayn. He cheated on Perrie with Eleanor," Harry said bluntly, gearing himself up because he just _knew _that Louis was going to flip, especially with the way the soc's brows furrowed, an adorable little crease between them.

"How _dare _you accuse her of something like that? Especially after what happened to her! What you _made _happen to her!" Louis shoved Harry's shoulders back but it didn't do much. He stumbled slightly, but that was it and it frustrated Louis that he couldn't intimidate people like Harry could.

"When are you going to shut up and listen to what I have to say?" Harry asked in the same raised octave as Louis because clearly he wasn't getting the point.   
"I _did not_ send anybody to assault Eleanor. I would never send _anybody_ to assault _anybody_, for that matter!"

"Whatever. You just want to be on good terms so you can fuck me," Louis shook his head, the words grumbled under his breath as he crossed his arms. But he was mostly just trying not to seem easy.

Harry rolled his eyes at that, "what do I have to do to prove to you that I didn't do it? Huh?"

Louis was quiet for a moment but said, "nothing. There's nothing you can do to prove it. I should go. Perrie's not gonna wake up anytime soon and I'd rather be at home doing nothing than wasting my breath on you," he said, moving to walk down the front steps and across the lawn. 

"Louis, come on!" Harry called after him tiredly. "I'm tired of this! There's got to be a way I can prove this to you. She cheated!"

"No, she didn't! When would she have had the time to cheat?! I've been with her all day every day since the morning after she was harassed!" Louis shouted across the yard.

"She wasn't harassed, you idiot!" Harry shouted back, not caring if anybody heard their yelling. "She slept with Zayn and used it as an excuse to get you to hate me!"

"Why would she do that?!"

"Because she doesn't fucking love you!" 

"Would you both shut the fuck up?" Sky asked as she emerged from the front door behind Harry.  
"You're gonna wake up Pez and then Matty & I are gonna get a noise complaint, now what the fuck is going on?"

"Nothing," Harry shook his head, turning to go inside when he bumped into Perrie as she was on her way out.

"I'll fix this," Perrie whispered to him, squeezing his bicep supportively before stepping outside, past Sky to say, "hey!" to Louis.

Louis turned at the sound of Perrie's voice and smiled.   
"Babe, you're up," he said, letting himself back onto the property and when Sky was about to protest, Perrie told her it was fine, that she'd take care of it.

"Yeah, I didn't really expect anybody else to show up," she said as she met him half way, a pursed-lipped smile on her face as they hugged.   
"I heard what you two were yelling about. Woke me up, actually.. but that can wait," Perrie said when they pulled back to look at each other.

Louis seemed to be listening to her, so that was good.

"I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Harry wasn't lying. He hasn't been lying to you. I walked in on Zayn and Eleanor. You said she was harassed?" Perrie asked, and Louis swallowed but nodded as an answer.   
"I was at that party. She had a few drinks and I watched Zayn lead her upstairs and I hoped and literally prayed that nothing was going to happen. That I was just overthinking it and that he wouldn't do it. But.. I walked in on it. I saw everything. I'm sorry, Louis.. but Harry's telling the truth."

Louis' eyes were watering inexplicably as he glanced up at the doorway where Harry was watching them. Sky had gone back inside, not wanting to deal with any of whatever was going on.

"You're sure?" Louis asked, his voice small and threatening to crack, but it wasn't because of Eleanor's infidelity. It was because he had called Harry all of these negative things, literally wished he'd go to hell, planned on never speaking to him again, and accused him of something so horrible and Louis wanted to evaporate. Perrie nodded and that's when Louis fell apart. He didn't know what to do, so he just sort of.. ran.

Nothing made sense, he didn't know what to believe and what to deny because everything around him was being flipped on an axis that Louis didn't know how to stabilize and he wanted to lock himself in his bedroom and never come out again.

Confronting Eleanor about it that very same day was the worst of it all because she confessed to _all of it. _Louis found himself thinking it was probably not the most normal thing in the world for him to be more ashamed of upsetting Harry than literally being cheated on by a girl he's been in a 'relationship' with for _years_.

So he did exactly what he wanted and locked himself in his room for the time being. Too much was happening all at once and he needed time to process. 

Life was so much simpler for him before the greasers. But he still found it somewhat preferable to marrying a girl he didn't truly love. In hindsight, Eleanor had just made it a hell of a lot easier for him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Please be mad at me. I deserve it."

"_I wouldn't have done all the things that I have done, if I knew one day you'd come_."

**-If I Knew by, Bruno Mars**

**\---**

Louis didn't talk to anyone for about two weeks. He wanted to, but he also didn't. Louis believed it was one of the most confusing times of his life because he just did not know what to do.

He hadn't seen Eleanor since he confronted her. He hadn't seen Niall or Liam or Perrie or Harry. He had literally locked himself away in his room like Rapunzel.

He wasn't sad because Eleanor cheated. If anything, that just saved him the trouble of inevitably breaking it off with her later on. He always planned to, he just hadn't figured out when.. or even _how_. But now he didn't need to worry about that. One less thing to stress over. 

And although it took a lot of the load off, the weight was still bearing down on Louis' shoulders.

Louis felt guilty for a lot of reasons. For cheating, which he didn't feel too badly about because Eleanor cheated as well which made them even. Wrong, but even. 

For everything he said to Harry. For not believing him, for believing Eleanor of all people over him. Just because he was a greaser. Louis felt guilty for that because Harry was a human being, too. He didn't deserve some crummy, stereotypical label like greaser. He was Harry. _His_ Harry. Or at least he was. Louis didn't really know what to make of their relationship in that moment because there were a lot of loose ends that hadn't been tied yet. Some that never would be.

One of the only positive feelings he felt was the bit of a head rush he got whenever he remembered the night Harry told him he loved him. But then the feeling becomes bittersweet because Louis remembers everything he told Harry and he feels unworthy. He doesn't deserve someone like Harry. He realizes that now. But he doesn't realize that Harry feels the same. Harry doesn't feel worthy of him. 

It's funny how that works.

Louis really should apologize, but it's been two weeks. Harry's probably accepted the fact that he won't get an apology and is most likely spending time with his friends and family to distract from what happened. He'll get over it. He's probably already half way forgotten about him anyways.

Regardless of how he's feeling, Louis also knew he hadn't showered in a while and his bedroom probably reeked of angsty teenager, so he stepped out of his room for the first time aside from sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night to steal a bit of whatever his parents had made for dinner the past several nights. He told them about the break up, about how Eleanor cheated, and they sympathized with him. 

Lana had tried to coax him out of his hiding place, vaguely reminding him of the times when he was a child. Whenever he was scared, he'd take his teddy and crawl under his bed to hide from it all. Though, now he was too big to fit in that small of a space. So underneath the covers just had to do.

Lana and Will let him know they were available to talk whenever he wanted and that they loved him and they left him alone because he was 'just being a teenager' according to his mother.

Louis would roll his eyes at that, but he let it go. He knew she didn't mean any harm. He just wanted to be left alone.

On an evening in early July, Louis could hear his father on the telephone trying to get a hold of anyone who might know where Lana was. Louis couldn't think of a reasonable excuse for her to be missing, so he worried quite a bit as well. He understood his father's worry because his mother was _always_ punctual. Always.

Will had poured himself a glass of scotch and took a seat in his usual spot; the recliner in the living room. Louis peaked his head around the corner, his father's back was turned to him, so he quickly and quietly tip-toed over to the kitchen, snatched up a pouch of crackers and moved to make his way back to his room.

He jumped however when he heard the doorbell ring throughout the house. He froze then, not wanting to be caught. It wasn't that he was afraid of being reprimanded, it was more so that he wanted to avoid all possible human interaction.

Louis stuck around in the hallway when Will answered the door. He peaked around the corner once more when he recognized the voice of the person on the porch. It was Alex Turner. The guitar guy from the restaurant his mom worked at.

At first, Louis was afraid that Alex was coming bearing bad news, such as his mother being kidnapped or possibly even murdered, but if that were the case, surely the police would be with him. Alex of all people wouldn't be the one to announce something like that to the man of the house.

Everything was so strange lately.

Louis watched as they shook hands. They had met before, but they weren't exactly close. Alex was more of an acquaintance to the Tomlinson's. He was closest to Lana and even then he wasn't very close. He was like a distant cousin that you only saw every few years for family reunions.

Even so, Louis watched Will lead Alex into the living room, offer the guy a glass of scotch, and begin talking. Alex had this look on his face that told Louis whatever it was that he had to say, wasn't exactly going to be good news.

"I hate to come over on short notice, especially to tell you something like this," Alex shook his head around a sip of the iced alcohol.

"Tell me something like what?" Will asked politely. That was another thing Louis loved about his dad, he was always polite. Even stressed to the nth degree, William managed to be respectful to anyone he came into contact with. Louis looked up to his father in a way that Harry never could.

"Last night after the gig, I was packing up my six-string and everyone else was taking off. Todd packed up his sticks and hit the road, Jamie did the same after hanging up the bass," Alex explained, trying to paint a good picture just in case Will didn't believe his next words. 

"But Lana.. she went over to the bar. I didn't really think anything of it at first because she's no stranger to a drink. But this guy, some random, started hitting on her.. using every line in the book and she just ate it all up. They kissed once or twice an got quite close, closer than I'd prefer my wife to be to another man. I kept watching until the guy left the bar and she followed him out. So I clocked out, grabbed my case, and followed them outside. She got in his car and they left. Don't know where they went but.. yeah. I thought I would tell you because if someone else were to witness something like that of _my_ spouse, I'd want them to tell me, you know? I'm really sorry, man," Alex told him and for the first time in years, Louis heard his dad sob.

Louis' heart shattered for his father. A man like Will didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve a bratty daughter, a moody son, and an unfaithful wife. Louis wanted to say something. He really did. But he waited until later that evening when Lana finally came home, after Alex had gone and Will had cried harder than Louis thought was even possible.

Louis didn't make his presence known until the argument started.

Will asked where she had been, she told him she was with her parents, and that's when Will finally broke.

"First you're unfaithful and then you have the audacity to lie to my face as well?!" Will raised his voice and Louis swallowed thickly. He always hated it when his father yelled, because he didn't do it often. Which was probably why it was so terrifying for Louis to hear older men shout. Even if they weren't necessarily shouting at him.

"When was I unfaithful to you?!" Lana's brows furrowed.

"Last night! You disappeared! I thought you were kidnapped or worse and I didn't sleep! I called everyone I could think of and your parents didn't even know where you were, so how dare you try to tell me you were with them and not some random?!" Will cried and that's when Louis realized that he was crying as well.

"Who told you that?!"

"Your goddamn coworker! I had to find out from a man I've only spoken to maybe twice in my entire life!"

"Okay, fine! I had a few too many. I let that man take me home--"

"He didn't take you home. _This_ is your home! THIS IS YOUR HOME! We have a _family_ here, Lana! We have children! Were you not thinking about how this would affect them?! Or was spreading your legs more important?!" Will asked incredulously and Louis cried harder because even after being cheated on by his wife, Will was more worried about his children than himself.

His parents were nothing but blurry spots in Louis' vision by the time his mother slapped his father across the face, making Louis flinch and hide away behind the wall again.

"Who do you think you're talking to?!" Lana asked rhetorically, "it was an accident, Will! I shouldn't have drank that much--"

"Alcohol affects your actions, not your morals. It merely makes your drunken self act on your sober thoughts," Will shook his head at her as if he were disgusted and Louis didn't really blame him. "What am I even going to tell our children?" he whisper-yelled in order to try and keep himself from exploding again.

"Oh, get over yourself, Will. Don't act like you've never acted out like I did!" Lana said and that made Louis' blood boil.

"You're really trying to shift this onto me?! I have been _nothing_ but faithful to you! How dare you accuse me of that?!"

Louis couldn't take any more of the yelling.   
He made his presence known and his voice heard, "IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS CHEATING NOWADAYS!" he shouted from the arched doorway of the hall.

"Louis--" his parents said at the same time, the same shocked looks on their faces and it made him cry even harder if that was even possible.

"Mom.." Louis whimpered, shaking his head at her, "how could you do this?"

"Louis, I--"

"Don't bother. What's done is done, right? You two are gonna divorce, everything's gonna be split in half. You're gonna fight over custody, the judge will rule unfairly and everything's gonna be fucked up for the rest of our lives!" Louis said and Lana frowned.

"Louis, volume."

"_You're_ scolding _me_ right now?!" Louis stood up for himself for the first time. Both of his parents stood there in shock. They'd never seen their son have an outburst like this or at all, really. Louis was always a good little boy in their eyes.   
"I'm leaving," Louis announced then, running upstairs to his bedrooms, despite his parents' pleas.

He came down a short while later with his suitcase stuffed full of clothes and valuables that he didn't want to part with. He dragged it on the wheels carelessly behind him and when he made it to the door, Lana met him there and gripped his shoulder. 

"Louis Tomlinson, you aren't going anywhere. I forbid you. If I have to tell you again, you're grounded," she said and Louis' brows furrowed again, his cheeks in a constant state of wetness due to his nonstop tears.

"I'm eighteen!" he replied, "and I'm leaving. You don't gotta worry about me anymore," Louis yanked his shoulder back and opened the door, leaving without another word. 

Lana left soon after with a slam of the door and Louis' father would be a wreck for weeks to come.

It was dusk when Louis cried on the street car, nobody else around him seemed to care and he wasn't upset about that. He wanted to be left alone. But he wanted to be left alone with Harry. Even if all he would do once he got to him was cry, he hoped Harry wouldn't care. That Harry would just stay with him until he calmed down. Louis knew he probably didn't deserve that, but he didn't know what else to do.

When Harry answered the door to a crying Louis, he made a joke about deja vu and being reminded of the night Louis had come out to Liam.

Louis sobbed instead of laughing which wasn't what Harry was planning for, so he dropped the jokes and scooped Louis up into a tight hug. Louis cried against his greaser's chest and it was a wonder he wasn't dehydrated yet.

Harry noticed the suitcase and his brows furrowed slightly as he pulled away to look into Louis' eyes.   
"Lou, did you.. did you run away?" he asked seriously, his green eyes were concerned and Louis wanted to smile because he missed Harry's eyes on his, but he couldn't manage it.

Louis nodded. "Y-Yeah.." he whimpered, letting Harry thumb the tears from his cheeks even if they would just be replaced immediately after.

Harry chewed his lip and tried to think of a possible reason for Louis doing so, considering it had been two weeks since they'd spoken. It wasn't very likely that Louis ran away because of Eleanor. It wouldn't have taken Louis two weeks to decide to pack. Especially not one suitcase that had a sleeve hanging out of the top. From the looks of it, this had been a very last-minute decision.

Harry let Louis inside like he had so many times before and Louis pursed his lips to stifle his cries because he didn't want to alert anyone else in the house.

"Matty & Sky are out drinking with Pez and Josh," Harry explained once he closed the door, which was basically him giving Louis permission to cry as loudly as he needed. Harry wheeled Louis' suitcase over to the wall and let it rest there.

Louis stood there in the middle of the living room with his arms wrapped around his own waist. He sobbed quietly as he heard Harry shuffle over to the kitchen. Louis heard the water run and the flame on the stove ignite and that's when he realized Harry was making tea.

Harry joined him in the middle of the living room and wiped his tears again, and though it was sort of pointless, Louis still appreciated the gesture.   
"C'mere, kitten," Harry whispered, making Louis' knees go weak, and he was glad Harry was right in front of him because the way he sort of collapsed into his arms was a little less graceful than he wanted.

"I'm so sorry, Harry!" Louis cried into his chest, his hands gripping into Harry's t shirt.   
"I don't deserve this! I don't deserve you! I don't deserve it!"

Everything he had been thinking about for the past two weeks was finally pouring out.

"I'm sorry for what I said! I'm sorry I didn't believe you! I should've believed you! You were right! You were _ri-ight_!" Louis sobbed and Harry shook his head, shushing him quietly.

"Shh," Harry pulled back slightly to brush Louis' greasy hair out of his face. Harry would've made a joke about Louis being a greaser, but the timing didn't really seem right, so he didn't bother with it.   
"I don't care about that anymore, Lou."

"W-Why not? I was _horrible_ to you!" Louis looked up at Harry, his eyes resembling Perrie's tear-filled irises, but Harry nearly broke at the way Louis looked at him because he never wanted to see Louis like that. It hurt worse than any insult.

"They're just words, Louis," Harry offered a half smile.

"B-But I _punched_ you.." Louis shook his head, trying to figure out why Harry wasn't punishing him. He wanted Harry to be mad. Louis deserved it.

"I've had worse," Harry said without thinking first which had Louis' brows furrowing.

"What?"

"I mean--'Cause of fights and stuff," Harry saved himself and Louis nodded hesitantly because he felt like Harry wasn't being completely honest with him, but that could wait for another time.

Harry fixed up two cups of coffee in the kitchen and handed one off to Louis when he was finished. Harry grabbed the suitcase from beside the door and led the way to his bedroom.

Without the light on, it would be pitch black considering it had become significantly darker since he left his house, but Harry flicked the switch and illuminated the room with ease. He parked the suitcase by his dresser and took a seat on his bed. He set his cup on the night stand and patted the space beside him on the mattress.

Louis set his cup by Harry's and opted to crawl into Harry's lap instead. 

"I'm never going to stop apologizing for what I did," Louis said as he wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, his face hidden in the crook where Harry's neck met his shoulder.

Harry smiled at that, "you don't have to. It's okay."

"It's not, though. It isn't okay. That wasn't cool at all," Louis shook his head, sniffling against Harry's shirt.

"Okay, well, I'm over it."

"No. Don't be over it. Be mad. Please, be mad at me. I deserve it," Louis said.

"Louis, you're crazy. You don't deserve anything bad," Harry replied.

Louis sighed, "then at least accept my apology?" he asked.

"Fine. I accept your unnecessary apology," Harry teased and Louis rolled his eyes, but let it go. He didn't want to push his luck.   
"You do need a shower, though," Harry said because rain makes everybody smell bad.

"I really do," Louis said, his cheeks heating up because he wished he was more presentable in that moment. "D'you mind if I take one?"

"Go right ahead," Harry shrugged.

So Louis wheeled his suitcase into the bathroom with him and avoided the mirror until after his quick shower. He already felt a million times better just from the rinse. The soap smelled and felt heavenly and if Harry wasn't in the other room waiting for him, Louis would've stayed in there for hours.

When he got out, he dried off as best as he could and changed into a random set of clothes from his messily packed case. He got shivers as he was hit with a tiny wave of nostalgia. He remembered the day he had shown up on Matty & Sky's doorstep, soaked from the rain and crying his eyes out. Harry took him in and he let Harry touch him for the first time.

Louis realized he was staring at his reflection for a bit too long, just thinking of the way Harry's hands and his mouth felt on him. It was one of the only positive things he could think of in that moment.

He exited the bathroom and returned to Harry who was splayed out on the mattress in a t shirt and his boxers, a book in his hands. Louis' eyes roamed the length of Harry's figure until Harry was speaking.

"Huh?" Louis shook himself from his thoughts as he pushed his suitcase back into the corner.

"I said, see something you like?" Harry repeated teasingly, mostly joking as he flipped through another page in his novel.

Louis nodded as an answer as he hopped onto the bed, latching himself onto Harry like a koala and taking a slow breath. He liked that everything around him smelled like Harry. Louis felt Harry's lips press to his damp hair, then his hand came up to play with the strands. Louis was like putty in Harry's hands, his eyes closed blissfully as he snuggled up against the older boy.

"Harry?" he asked after a silence had fallen over them. Nothing but the sound of Harry turning pages in his book could be heard. Aside from his heartbeat that was inviting and lively beneath Louis' head.

"Hm?" Harry hummed, pressing a few more kisses to Louis' hair that had dried significantly over the time it took for Harry to read several chapters.

"Are we--? I mean.. can we be boyfriends.. again?"

"Who said we ever stopped?" Harry asked with a half smile, bookmarking his page before setting the book over on the nightstand.

"I just--After what happened? I didn't think you'd want me back," Louis admitted in the smallest voice because he felt sort of pathetic. He should've apologized to Harry a long time ago. He knows this. It would take a bit of time to heal from everything that happened to him, but Louis realized he's not the only one hurting. Regardless of Harry saying he didn't care about it anymore, Louis still did. He wouldn't forget about it.

"I'd be stupid to not want you back," Harry told him honestly, because, "it's gonna take a lot more than a few insults and a lousy sucker punch to get me to back off," he teased.   
"You want me to back off?" he asked a little more seriously then.

"What? No!" Louis blurted as he looked up at Harry with wide eyes. Harry's smirk was prominent as well as his dimples and Louis sighed.   
"I mean, no. I don't want you to back off. I don't want you to leave me and I know I'm a hypocrite but I don't want you to leave me alone," Louis said in a quiet octave, but Harry still heard it.

"It's settled then; I'm not going anywhere," Harry promised, shifting to lay back against the sheets with one arm folded behind his head. His other arm was wrapped snug around Louis' waist, holding the smaller boy to his side.

"Good," Louis mumbled against Harry's chest.

And if Harry whispered a quiet 'I love you' to Louis after he had fallen asleep against his chest, it wasn't anyone's business but their own.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The greasers get into a rumble at the drive in.

_ **[TRIGGER WARNING]** _

"_One by one, I'll try to take them down. They can run and hide. Ain't going down without a fight_."

**-Wolves by, One Direction**

**\---**

"Feels like it's been _years _since I last came here," Louis said as he followed the greasers down the dirt pathway they always took to the drive in. Louis had always gone through the gate and paid for his entry, so he felt a weird tingly feeling in his gut as they walked parallel to the fence.

Louis had never snuck into anything. He'd snuck out of his house a few times, but his parents always knew he was leaving (just not necessarily where he was going), so Louis didn't think that really counted as sneaking out.

No one replied to his spoken thought and that's when Louis figured the greasers weren't too fond of him anymore after what he did to Harry. Despite his apology and Harry accepting it, Louis knew they didn't trust him. They probably thought he was going to hurt Harry again. He didn't blame them. After all that's happened, Louis wouldn't trust himself either.

It wasn't the first time Louis felt as if they didn't like him. He'd been staying with Harry in Matty & Sky's house for about two weeks by then and there was some sort of tension there that Louis was sure they all felt. He just hoped it would dissolve soon.

So Louis didn't say anything else after that. He just stared down at the ground where the toes of his converse were covered in a thin layer of dirt. He focused on the backs of Harry's shoes as he let the older boy lead the way.

Louis wished he could reach out and hold Harry's hand, but he didn't want to risk being seen. It wasn't that he didn't want to be seen with Harry, because he was incredibly proud to call himself Harry's boyfriend.   
It's just--there wasn't much acceptance for people who were anything but straight. Louis knew this very well and he didn't want to deal with it, so he just opted for stuffing his hands in the pockets of the jacket he was wearing.

An old jean jacket with a fleece collar that was a bit too big on him, but if anything it would just keep him that much warmer as the night grew colder. Summer nights always turned the coldest for some reason, but Louis didn't really mind right then. It just meant that he'd have an excuse to steal Harry's clothes more often.

He stood by sort of awkwardly whilst the group had a quick cigarette break before scaling the fence to the other side. Louis watched as Josh lifted Perrie by her hips and she simply dropped down onto the other side. Josh climbed over easily afterwards, making it seem like it was nothing as he dropped down, joining Perrie.

Matty and Sky followed the same routine; Matty helped Sky over, then hauled himself over after.

Louis glanced over at Harry once he realized the group was now waiting on the two of them. 

He felt his cheeks heat up slightly as he looked down and said, "I-I don't know if I can climb it.." because he honestly didn't. He could admit that he didn't have very much upper body strength. He could do about five push ups on a good day. If that.

Harry slipped his hand beneath the denim of the jacket he'd given Louis, his hand resting on the small of Louis' back as he said, "that's okay," in the sweetest tone of voice. He had a reassuring smile on his lips to match and Louis found it so endearing.

He squeaked slightly when Harry lightly patted his bum, gesturing for him to go towards the fence. From there, Louis had to swallow his fear and remind himself that Harry loved him no matter what, because just the thought of Harry lifting him like this scared him. He really hated that he had let Eleanor affect him like that, but he just chewed his lip and sighed as Harry lifted him just the same as Matty had for Sky or Josh for Perrie.

Louis swung his legs over and dropped to the other side, finding that the rest of the group had already moved to find seats. He didn't know why he had expected them to be there, because he knew they wouldn't wait for him, but surely they would at least wait for Harry, right? Guess not.

Louis was pulled from his thoughts with the sound of Harry's shoes making contact with the ground behind him. Louis looked back to watch him brush himself off, though there wasn't much sign of strain on Harry's features, so Louis didn't worry. Harry'd probably done worse things in his lifetime. Scaling a fence couldn't have been very much of a barrier for him. 

Louis waited there for Harry, looking around the make sure that nobody had seen them scale the fence. He was anxious that someone would see and report them and that they'd be banned. He knew there were worse things to worry about but he'd never snuck into anything before.

Harry didn't seem fazed by the fact that his friends had moved on, so Louis didn't speak on it. He just stayed by Harry and followed him around as if it were the first time he had ever been to the drive in.

He figured he was just nervous because he knew the rest of the socs went there, too, so there was no telling who he would see. Louis was most worried about getting crap for hanging out with the greasers. He just had to hope that the way he was dressed would disguise him enough to where nobody would recognize him as easily.

Harry led the way to the concessions and Louis kept his head down the entire time, just in case someone he knew was there. Harry didn't really notice as they stood in line together. His eyes flicked up to the signs for the restrooms and he smirked, nudging Louis' arm slightly with his elbow. 

"Fun times," he winked and at first Louis was confused, until he followed Harry's line of sight and saw the blue of the mens room sign. His cheeks turned the opposite color, a bright pink as he glanced down at the ground again.

"Yeah," Louis said, actually smiling because when he thought back on it, he felt good inside. The thought of what Harry did to him when they first met was no longer a negative one. He didn't try to repress it like he had the entire week he was hiding the hickeys from his family and girlfriend. He wasn't ashamed of it. If anything, it had become a sort of inside joke for the two of them. He looked back on it as the moment that something great had come into his life, and as he glanced up to find Harry staring at him with this look of admiration, Louis was glad that his something great was still around.

Harry fixed the collar of the jacket Louis was wearing and Louis could see it in his big green eyes that Harry wanted to touch him; to cup his cheek or brush his hair out of his eyes, or even kiss him. But he knew they couldn't do that in public, at least not yet. So Louis gave Harry this smile and mouthed the words: '_I want to kiss you_'.

Harry's nose scrunched up in this adorable way, like he was trying to stifle a sneeze, but the smile on his face indicated that he was trying to keep from looking too fond. Louis' smile mirrored his when Harry mouthed back:'_so do I _'.

Louis' stepped a little closer to him after that, glancing around casually as he let his fingers brush against Harry's in the subtlest of ways. To anyone looking on, it looked as if they were just standing close together because the line was full of people and there wasn't much space. It was a safe touch. No one would notice it but them.

Louis watched Harry's eyes flick down to their hands, his dimples prominent as ever with the way his lips stayed stretched into a grin.   
'_I love you_', Harry mouthed when they locked eyes again and even if Louis couldn't say it back just yet, Harry didn't mind. 

As long as he got to tell Louis how much he meant to him, Harry was happy.

Louis tapped his fingers against Harry's again as a way of responding, a way to show Harry that he knows and that he's appreciative. As the line moved forward and the sky became darker, the two found comfort in the fact that nobody could see their hands and Louis eventually hooked his pinky with Harry's index finger.

The two of them moved to find seats after they'd bought themselves a drink. They had let go of each others' fingers by then and Louis held the cup in both of his hands as they walked. He sipped out of it every now and again as they walked along the gravelly path.

Louis glanced behind them as he was one to do, considering he was always expecting somebody he knew to be there. Only this time he had a reason to be actively worried because across the way, Louis had spotted Oli, Calvin, and Stan; some of his old friends and fellow socs. 

Though at this point, Louis didn't really know what to call himself. He focused back on Harry who was a little bit ahead of him leading the way, but he glanced back every so often. All three of them were staring right at him.

And they didn't look too happy, either.

After a moment, Louis began to realize they were following him. He didn't know what their motives were, but they hadn't spoken since school was still in session and he was sure that by now, Eleanor would've told everybody what happened. Only of course, she would lie to save her own ass and throw Louis under the bus to make it seem like he was the bad guy in all of this.

The three socs got closer, very quickly, and Louis' heart was beating fast.   
He reached out to grip the back of Harry's shirt, lightly fisting the fabric between his fingers as he said, "Haz, wait."

Harry glanced back at him, brows furrowed in slight concern as he cocked his head to the side as if to ask Louis what was up.

Louis pursed his lips and nodded his head in the direction of the three socs.   
"They're following me," Louis told him and Harry raised a brow as he watched the guys approach them.   
"I don't know what they want, I haven't seen them in weeks," Louis said in a hushed tone and Harry nodded in understanding.

"Stand behind me. Be cool," Harry told him simply, running his hands through his hair casually as the three finally got close enough to start a confrontation.

"Step aside, skid mark," Calvin said to Harry which had Louis frowning, "we want to talk to our friend."

Harry didn't even have to glance back at Louis to know that he was scared, because Louis was still gripping Harry's shirt so tightly, Harry could feel his hands beginning to shake.

"Yeah, well your friend doesn't want to talk to you, so beat it," Harry replied simply, and the socs smirked at that.

"Tough guy, eh?" Oli piped up from the side, his voice making Louis cringe. Louis never really was fond of Oli. He just sort of tolerated him for Eleanor's sake. Like he tolerated almost everything for her sake.

Stan was the worst of all of them. He always had this arrogance to him that Louis found irritating. Stan always carried himself like he was better than everyone else.   
"We just wanted to wish him a good summer. After all we've been through the past few years, it's only polite."

"He said beat it," Louis spoke up from behind Harry, his eyes flicking to each of the three socs as he said it. Harry moved one of his hands back as if to remind Louis to stay behind him like he'd asked.

"Yeah? Who's gonna make us?" Stan replied to that, stepping closer to Harry and Louis wished he were bigger so he could punch that smile right off his smug little face. Louis always wanted to knock Stan down a few pegs.

"Just walk away," Harry said, almost as a warning and that's when Louis began to panic. He looked back towards the rows of seats to try and find Matty or Josh so he could get them to help before this got any uglier.

"I said," Stan started, spitting at Harry's shoes before finishing his sentence, "who's gonna make us?" he shoved Harry by the shoulders, not hard enough to knock him over, but enough to make him bump into Louis, who inevitably dropped the drink in his hand.

It was a quick flash of events as Louis watched Harry shove Stan back, only he shoved the soc hard enough that he fell back between Oli and Calvin. Louis swallowed thickly as he glanced back to the seats again. He knew he wouldn't be able to do anything. He didn't know how to fight. He would just be a rag doll for his former 'friends' to throw around while Harry did all of the work. He needed to find Matty at least.

"No!" Louis shouted when he looked forward again and Calvin threw a punch to Harry's gut, Oli threw one to his jaw that had Louis secondhand wincing.

No one was coming to help and that's when Louis began to think on his feet. He had to try.

Louis stepped in front of Harry and pushed Oli back with all of his might, getting the soc to falter slightly, but nothing more.   
"Leave him alone!" Louis snapped at them as Harry was doubled over, quickly recovering from the unexpected hit to his abdomen. A crowd had begun to form around them and that didn't do anything to help ease Louis' anxiety. He could feel his heartbeat in his throat.

"What's this? Louis Tomlinson protecting the town filth?!" Stan asked incredulously around a laugh, though he was only trying to create more hype. Stan and his ego had Louis fuming.

"It's not a fair fight! You're cheating! If anything, it should be _one _on one, not _three _on one!" Louis panted slightly as he tried to steady his racing mind.

"You're one to talk about cheating, Tommo," Oli laughed and Louis' brows furrowed at that.

"What?"

"Why do you think we're even here, you little punk?" Calvin shook his head as if it were the most obvious thing. "El told us what you did and we aren't too fond of it, you dig? Now step aside and let us take out the trash."

"Over my dead body," Louis retaliated without thinking twice about it, his fists bunched up at his sides as he stared up at Calvin with the greatest amount of strength he'd mustered in a while. Beneath his tough exterior, however, Louis' heart was pounding against his rib cage.

"That can be arranged," Calvin said and he moved to step closer to Louis, but something or rather someone had interrupted him. In a quick flash of leather and denim, Matty had tackled Cal to the gravel. Louis' jaw dropped as he watched Matty's fists land punch after punch to the socs face. The dust from the dirt that kicked up around them seemed to add to the chaotic scene.

"Louis, get out of here," Harry rushed out, shoving Louis into the crowd around them without much thought to it. Louis knew Harry was just trying to protect him and that was made clear as he turned to watch Harry shove Oli back as well.

Louis let out a small 'oof' when he was knocked into by someone, only to find out that Josh had ran past him to join the mix. It was a blur of punches and shoves and tackles and Louis didn't know where to look. He didn't want to watch anybody hurt his friends, especially Harry, but he couldn't look away, no matter how hard he tried.

What had started as Louis' old 'friends' coming to jump _him_, had ended with the three socs in an all out rumble with the small group of greasers. This wouldn't do anything to help Louis feel better about causing the greasers so much trouble.

Louis watched on in shock with the rest of the crowd that were chanting and jeering as the fight continued on. Louis couldn't believe that nobody was trying to break up the fight, but then again he wasn't really able to do much either so he let it go. His thoughts were just racing in his brain at that point.

"Louis! There you are!" Perrie's voice distracted Louis from the rumble of a fight going on just a few feet away as she had pushed through the crowd to find him. Sky was not far behind as she had just shoved people out of her way without a care.

"I can't look!" Louis shook his head as he let Perrie envelope him in a tight hug. Louis shook in her hold, but he didn't want her to let go, because he knew if she did, his eyes would glue themselves back onto the scene.

So Perrie and Sky watched for him, assuring Louis that everything was going to be okay. That it wasn't the first fight they'd been in and that it sure as hell wouldn't be the last. It didn't do much to make Louis feel better, but he took it with a grain of salt and stayed quiet.

A flash of silver caught Sky's eye however and she shouted out, "JOSH, LOOK OUT!" warning her friend as quickly as she could. Louis instinctively pulled away from Perrie to watch. Harry's gaze shot up quickly at that, watching as Josh had narrowly dodged the switchblade knife that had been shoved toward his abdomen.

Calvin was out cold by the time Matty realized what had just happened. 

"Josh, _run_!" Matty shouted to him and Harry stood as well from where he was busy pummeling Oli into the dirt. His eyes caught sight of the silver blade and he was quick to shove Josh out of the way as Stan swung the knife around like it was a bubble wand.

Josh landed in the crowd, against the dirt and Matty's eyes widened as he watched the blade slice across the inked skin of Harry's bicep. A few fresh drops of his blood fell to the gravel.

"Ah!" Harry hissed when he felt the deep burning sensation in his arm.

"HARRY!" Louis cried out, his cheeks absolutely soaked with tears as he tried to shove through the crowd, but Perrie kept hold of him.

"Louis, you'll get hurt, stop," Perrie told him as she managed to pull him back, her arms around his waist as his back was to her chest.

Flashing lights seemed to be the cherry on top of this metaphorical ice cream sundae of horribleness. 

"Shit, it's the fuzz!" someone shouted. The sirens that came along with the red and blue flashes had everybody scattering. What was once a circle of people, had dispersed like an ant hill that had been carelessly stepped on.

"Louis, run!" Sky shouted, snapping him out of his daze and he didn't even have time to process the fact that his legs were moving by the time he was halfway to the fence.

"Where's Harry?!" Louis cried out as he ran alongside the blonde girls.

"He'll catch up! Just _go_!" Perrie shook her head as they sprinted across the gravel. Louis wondered how he was even able to stay upright considering his legs felt like jelly in a bad way. Adrenaline, he figured.

When they got to the fence, Louis watched as Sky helped Perrie over first, then hoisted herself up. She paused for a split second when she realized Louis wasn't scaling the fence yet. She stayed sat atop the wood as she said, "Lou! What are you waiting for?! Come on!"

Louis glanced back at the chaos, right as he felt two strong hands on his hips lifting him up. Louis looked down to find Harry beneath him. He took a moment to thank everything holy that Harry seemed okay, but focused back on the fact that Sky was offering him her hand.

Louis took it gratefully and they jumped, landing in the gravel on the other side together. Mere seconds later, Matty had joined them. Sky switched focus onto Matty and took his hand. They sprinted away together, following Perrie off into the distance.

Josh and Harry joined Louis soon after.

"Run, ya knuckleheads!" Josh shouted back at them as he sprinted ahead of the two of them, quickly catching up to the rest.

Harry nodded reassuringly at Louis, "come on!" he panted out and just the sound of Harry's voice had the gears in Louis' head turning again. They ran the entire way back to Matty & Sky's despite the fact that they had lost the cops a long while back.

They ran through the yard and hopped over the front porch steps before letting themselves inside.

Each of them were panting heavily. Josh wiped the sweat from his brow with his t-shirt as Matty moved to push his long black hair back out of his face. Perrie and Sky were pulling at the fronts of their shirts to fan themselves.

They were all silent as they glanced around at each other. Then out of seemingly nowhere.. they laughed. Each one echoed another as they just laughed, to the point they could barely breathe.

"That was fucking sick!" Josh exclaimed happily as he practically yanked Harry & Matty into the tightest bear hug Louis had ever witnessed.

Sky shook her head with a knowing smile as she headed off towards the hallway, presumably to her and Matty's bedroom.

Louis watched on in confusion as the three friends who had just been in a serious fight, just tackled each other into a heap of laughter and friendly wrestling.

Perrie nudged Louis' arm with her elbow, offering a warm smile that said: '_I told you everything would be alright'_.

Louis glanced from Perrie's eyes down to Harry's gigantic, goofy grin. And he let himself smile because Perrie was right. Everything was okay.

Then Louis figured he had probably spoken a bit too soon as he noticed the deep red gash that ran horizontally across Harry's bicep.

"Babe," Louis called towards the heap of young men on the floor. They all paused and let Harry up but Matty caught Josh in a loose headlock just to tease him.

Harry stood then, panting slightly but he still had that stupid smile on his face. 

"Hi," he greeted then and Louis reached a cautious hand out to wipe a drip of blood from beneath Harry's cut.

"He got you pretty good, didn't he?" Louis asked rhetorically as he turned Harry slightly to examine the wound.

"Oops," Harry shrugged as if it weren't a big deal and Louis looked up at him with concern in his eyes.

"It looks pretty deep, Haz," Louis told him as he focused his vision back on the gash that was actively bleeding.

"I think it'll be okay, Lou," Harry said with a chuckle.

"I think you should get it checked out."

"It's fine," Harry shook his head, so Louis pressed the pads of his fingers around the edge of the cut, making Harry hiss in pain.

"It's clearly not fine," Louis said in response to that, then said, "at least let me clean it?"

Harry sighed, biting his lower lip, "fine."

So Louis pulled Harry to the bathroom and shrugged the jean jacket from his shoulders. He hung it up on the door and sighed as he smoothed out his wrinkled t shirt and turned the faucet on, sitting Harry down on the toilet seat.

He pulled a clean hand towel from under the sink and held it under the warm water. He wrung it out, leaving it damp before he pressed it to Harry's tender skin.

"Is that okay?" Louis asked as he lightly dabbed the cloth around the slice.

Harry nodded with pursed lips, which told Louis that it hurt, but it was bearable. There were a few times when he got a little too close to the wound itself and Harry would hiss, but Louis would apologize and Harry would assure him that it was okay.

"It goes right through your ship, too," Louis pouted as he continuously wiped the red blood from the black ink of Harry's ship tattoo.

Harry looked down at his arm then, noticing that Louis was right. It cut the ship horizontally in half almost perfectly.   
"It'll leave one hell of a scar, though," Harry said with a smile, looking at the brighter side of things.

"And that's good?"

Harry shrugged as a response as he studied Louis' face, "I mean I didn't die, right?"

Louis rolled his eyes, "no," he answered, but couldn't help the tiny smile that spread across his face.

"Then all's well that ends well," Harry nodded, reaching up to tug at Louis' belt loop.   
"C'mere," he mumbled, gesturing for Louis to sit on his lap.

Louis did as told, sitting down on Harry's thighs and letting the greaser's hands roam up and down his back over the t-shirt he was wearing.

"Take a breath, baby," Harry told him, tracing his fingertips over Louis' spine. "You're tense."

"I just watched you nearly get amputated, Harold. I think I'm allowed to be tense. I saw my entire life flash before my eyes," Louis said, trying to sound like he was joking, but they both knew he was worried. He had a right to be.

Even so, Harry brushed Louis' hair out of his face, admiring his eyes that were slightly puffy from crying, but still so beautifully blue.   
"I'm okay, though, Lou. I really am."

"I know.. just--you scared me," Louis said quietly, looking down at his lap for a second before Harry tilted his chin up again.

"I'd do it again if it meant keeping you safe," Harry told him, the pad of his thumb lightly pressing against Louis' bottom lip.   
"I love you," he added, just above a whisper and he barely got the sentence out before Louis was pressing his lips against Harry's.

It felt like it had been forever since their last kiss. After the time spent outdoors, where they couldn't be themselves without the safety of darkness or cover, Louis was going to start taking these moments with Harry as seriously as possible, whilst reminding himself to let loose and have fun.

Harry could've died that night as well and regardless of Harry shrugging it off as nothing, the thought of Harry dying absolutely terrified Louis. He decided from then on he was going to make the most of every moment he got to spend with Harry. He wouldn't take his boy for granted like he had before.

Harry hummed against Louis' kiss, his eyes closed blissfully as he took the damp, red-soaked cloth from Louis' hand and tossed it into the sink. His arm had managed to ease up on the bleeding and it would most likely scab up over night, so he wasn't too worried about that.

He was just worried about Louis. Louis, who he lifted and carried to their bedroom. Louis, who he laid down against the mattress like he was a delicate glass sculpture that could break at the slightest of rough touches. Louis, who had managed to speak up when Harry kissed along the length of his jawline.

"Haz..?" Louis breathed out as he let Harry do practically whatever he felt like.

"Hmm?" Harry hummed lazily as he lightly suckled at the skin above Louis' collarbone, making Louis gasp. It was sure to leave a gorgeous bruise.

"I-I.. I want to try something out," Louis mumbled, reminding himself to take risks every once in a while. After all, Harry had taken so many risks for him. Especially that night. And Louis wanted to return the favor for once.

"Mm? Like what?" Harry asked, his plump lips gracing Louis' throat, making him swallow thickly.

Louis sighed shakily, "l-like.. like--" he tried, getting caught up in the feeling of Harry's teeth. When Louis involuntarily rolled his hips upward into Harry's, he said, "c-can you just.. lay down please?"

Harry raised a brow, but went with it, rolling the both of them over so Louis was straddling his waist. Harry casually folded his arms behind his head, his shirt riding up slightly to reveal the two fern tattoos on his hips that Louis adored.

Louis' thumbs traced over the pattern before he pushed the fabric of Harry's shirt up and eventually off, revealing the rest of his toned torso. Louis let his hands roam over Harry's inked skin before he leaned down to let his lips do the same. He kissed all across Harry's chest, up to his clavicles, then finally his neck.

Harry hummed in content as Louis' lips peppered a trail of tiny kisses up to his jawline, where he whispered, "I want to suck you off," in the smallest voice. Harry's eyes opened at the same time his cock twitched in his jeans.

"Yeah?" Harry asked rhetorically, his hands moving to caress Louis' sides, feeling his ribs expand with each breath he took.

Louis nodded slowly, but his eyes showed determination and Harry was internally screaming because the way Louis' cheeks heated up the next second, confirmed that Harry's dick was pressing against Louis' thigh just as he previously thought.

Louis let out another shaky sigh as he trailed a hand down between their chests to rest over the outline of Harry's hard on. "C-Can I?" Louis whispered with the most innocent look on his face.

Harry hoped his nod didn't seem too eager, but the way Louis was already moving to lay between his legs, Harry figured Louis didn't really care about his eagerness.

After the slight struggle of tugging Harry's jeans down his giraffe legs, Louis' heart began to race. The realization set in as he looked down to be met with Harry's tented boxers. 

"Wow--" Louis breathed out.

"You okay?" Harry asked then and Louis nodded as he met Harry's eyes with pink tinted cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine just.. processing," Louis chuckled softly to ease the transition, trying to keep it light and easy.

"Take your time, baby. I'm all yours," Harry promised and Louis closed his eyes for a moment when Harry reached down to cup his cheek, his thumb rubbing gently over his cheekbone.

Louis nodded slowly, turning his head slightly to kiss Harry's palm, making the older boy smile fondly.

All it took was a moment of psyching himself up, for Louis to finally release Harry from the confinements of his boxers. He set the fabric aside and glanced up at Harry once more.   
"I.. I don't know what I'm doing," Louis blushed, laughing at himself because, "I'm so embarrassing, holy shit."

Harry chuckled as well which made Louis feel a lot better.   
"You're okay, darling," Harry sat up then and for the first time, he was completely naked in front of his boyfriend but he showed no sign of shame. Louis envied Harry's confidence.

"Can you teach me?" Louis leaned in to whisper the words against Harry's lips, his voice light and airy and if Harry wasn't 100% sure that Louis was sober, he would've guessed he was high.

"Consider class in session," Harry replied with a cheeky grin that had Louis smiling as well. He loved that they could joke around and laugh whilst in the midst of something that was usually so intimate and serious.

"Okay, Mr. Styles," Louis hummed, pecking Harry's lips before sliding down to lay between Harry's legs. Harry stayed sitting up as Louis had flattened out against the mattress, eye level with Harry's cock. 

"You gonna tell me what to do, now?" Louis asked through his lashes and only then did Harry realize that he was staring for a bit longer than he should've been.

"Just--"

"And don't tell me 'just sort of suck' because I will go sleep on the couch," Louis playfully threatened, getting his groove back.

Harry laughed, which was a good sign. "Well, I mean, that's really it. It's just that simple. Relax your jaw, breathe through your nose, and go to town," he shrugged and Louis rolled his eyes fondly at that because it was such a Harry thing to say.

"But what if I don't want to go to town? What if I just want to go down the street?" Louis teased and it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes fondly.

"Go sleep on the couch," Harry joked, laying back against the mattress.

"No thanks. I'd rather be here," Louis said, a sudden surge of confidence had him lifting Harry's cock into his hand.   
"Heavy," Louis thought aloud and Harry was about to reply when Louis swiped his tongue over Harry's slit, cutting him off.

Harry's jaw dropped and Louis watched as he let out a shaky exhale. These all looked like signals to continue, so Louis did, trying his best to remember what Harry did to him so many weeks back.

It was a little difficult to grasp at first, but Louis remembered to breathe through his nose and relax his jaw, like Harry said. He found that his jaw would begin to hurt after a bit, so he'd slow down and use his hand for whatever he couldn't fit. He'd pull back slightly to tease, just looking up at Harry with his glistening lips and eyes while he carefully got him off with just his hand. It also made just that much better when Louis' mouth sunk down around him again.

"Oh, shit, baby," Harry said breathlessly as he focused on keeping his hips still as he didn't want to choke him, "you're a natural." 

Harry was close to tearing his hair out because Louis' mouth was so warm and wet and lovely and he had to try his best to keep from coming too soon. Then remembering that Louis was a virgin would get him worked up again. It was an endless cycle and Harry was baffled as to how he managed to last as long as he did.

Harry's low, raspy moans had Louis rock solid in his boxers. His clothes had been discarded as the room became warmer, and Harry couldn't stop playing with Louis' hair because it was so soft and his fringe was tickling Harry's abs and everything with Louis was soft and delicate and _holy shit_.

When Louis pulled back for a moment to relax his slightly aching jaw, he didn't realize just how innocent and sexy it looked when he looked up at Harry through his lashes with the sweetest smile. He just wanted to show Harry that he was enjoying it, that it wasn't a chore, that he wanted to do it.

But when Harry locked eyes with Louis, he tossed his head back against the pillows and couldn't help it as his jaw fell slack. Louis squeaked as he watched Harry come into his fist, some of the pearly substance dripping down his knuckles, but most of it actually ended up on the front of his t-shirt.

Louis looked down and his brows raised as he found quite a few ribbons of it dripping down the center of his chest.

"I-I'm sorry, baby, I--" Harry breathed out as he sat up, but Louis cut him off with a quick kiss to his lips.

"Don't apologize," Louis mumbled against Harry's plump, bitten lips.   
"We both enjoyed ourselves, yeah?" he smiled, which had Harry over the moon. Harry loved that Louis seemed to be growing used to the way his body looked, overcoming the insecurities one step at a time. Though Harry would never admit to helping that, Louis believed Harry was one of the major factors in that. Aside from himself, which is the biggest factor of course.

"Yeah," Harry smirked, pressing a lazy kiss to the corner of Louis' mouth. They stayed like this for a bit; Close and breathless and intimate, yet not saying anything until Harry whispered, "I love you," against his soc's lips.

Louis parted his lips to reply, but Harry spoke before he could, "and I know you're not ready to say it back yet and you don't have to say it at all _ever_ if you don't want to, but I just need you to know that I love you in case I lose you again."

Louis' bit his lip and looked up into Harry's eyes then.   
"I'm not going anywhere, Haz," he smiled, earning a mirrored one from Harry.   
"Cool?"

"Cool."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis learns to drive.

"_You've got two black eyes from loving too hard and a black car that matches your blackest soul. I wouldn't change you. Wouldn't ever try to make you leave_."

**-L.A. Devotee by, Panic! At The Disco**

**\---**

So the very beginning of Louis' summer didn't exactly go according to plan. He'd run away from home, fought with his boyfriend, and he'd been the reason behind a rumble between the greasers and his old soc friends.

But on the upside, he ran away to live with his boyfriend who forgave him weeks ago and the greasers had pretty much won that fight anyways; Cops or no cops.   
He also ran from said cops but you knew that already.

That was only the beginning however. Louis had an entire summer of adventures waiting for him. He just had to break out of the rest of his shell. He'd come a long way, there was no doubt about that. But he still had a ways to go.

After the rumble, the greasers had begun to treat Louis more like he was family and less like he was just Harry's boyfriend. That's all Louis had felt he was to the greasers until the rumble.   
Sky & Perrie would hang out with him when Harry, Josh, and Matty went off to work. He found it a little strange at first that he was the only guy in their group that didn't have a job, but the girls' company always made him forget about that.

He didn't feel like an outsider anymore. He felt like a greaser. And he was starting to realize that maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

On a lonely day in late July, Louis and Sky were home alone. Perrie was home and Matty, Josh, & Harry were working. Louis lay in his & Harry's bed by himself in the quiet. He'd started to read Harry's book a week or so before and was close to catching up to Harry's marked page. Marked meaning he folded the top corner of the page.

Louis would eventually end up nodding off after a few chapters, but then when he'd set the book on the nightstand beside him so he could try to nap, he wouldn't be able to. He was so used to sleeping with another person by then that it was weird to sleep alone.

So after a brief period of missing his Harry, Louis pushed himself out of bed and over to Harry's dresser. Harry's shirts had basically become Louis' as well and Harry was completely okay with that.

Louis figured that swapping his T-shirt for one of Harry's would tide him over until Harry came home. Despite Louis wearing them more often then not, Harry's shirts smelled like his cologne and it made Louis feel at ease with his loneliness.

But after spotting the denim jacket towards the back, Louis pulled that out as well.

When Louis was done playing dress-up with Harry's clothes, he moved to the bathroom. He saw himself in the mirror for a split second and he stopped to look closer at himself. He was dressed in Harry's old and very well loved Rat Pack shirt. The short sleeves that were typically rolled up to make room for Harry's biceps lay lax on Louis' smaller arms. He had on Harry's black denim jeans, rolled up at the ankles three times and a belt to hold in all up on him because let's face it; Louis was tiny.

He was beginning to look like an authentic greaser and truth be told, he kind of liked it. He looked all tough trading in his 100% cotton khakis for the ripped denim.

Louis leaned in closer to the mirror and began pushing his hair into the combed back look the greasers had mastered. However, his hair didn't want to agree and just stuck up in clumps. He huffed and began looking around for some sort of grease to put in his hair. The stuff he saw Harry run through his curls in the mornings.

When he turned around, he saw Sky leaning against the door frame with a smile on her face as she looked him up and down.

Louis jumped slightly as he wasn't expecting to see anybody standing there. It could've been worse, but it was still sort of embarrassing. Louis pursed his lips, looking down at his socks and sighing, just waiting for Sky to say something. 

"Go on. Tell me I look ridiculous," he told her.

Sky just furrowed her brows, "now why would I do that?" she asked as she walked forward to properly join him in the bathroom. She fixed the collar on his jacket because it was folded strangely.   
"You look kinda cute," she smiled honestly, "but don't tell Harry I said that. He might skin me alive."

Louis shook his head and giggled at the comment, but he was relieved to hear the genuine compliment. He looked in the mirror and laughed at himself, his hair all askew and face now flushed. He didn't think he looked as tough anymore which was a bit of a hit to his ego.   
"Stop eyeballing me like that, I know I can't get the hair right," he complained, trying to regain confidence. 

"I don't know how all the guys do it," he sighed, giving up and turning back to Sky. "There's this certain art to the way you guys put your look together. You're not even trying right now and you look like a put together mess of coolness."

Sky's grin held up through Louis' little rant of self-deprecation.   
"You'll need a comb, for one," she said, stepping around him to open a drawer under the sink.  
"Grease for two," she pulled out a black, tailed comb and set it on the counter before digging a little deeper. She couldn't find what she was looking for however, so she sighed.   
"I'll bet H has some stashed in his room," she said, exiting the bathroom to scour Harry's bedroom for the tube.

"Aha!" Sky chirped when she returned to the bathroom, clutching the tube of hair pomade in her hand like it was some sort of prize.   
"So you basically just slap some of this on your head and comb it back. Here, I'll even help you out," she said, not even bothering to wait for Louis' response before she was popping the cap on the tube and squeezing some of the clear, off-yellow substance onto her palm.

Sky quite literally stuffed her fingers into Louis' hair, working the pomade into his scalp so his hair would stand up instead of flop down into his usual fringe. She grabbed the comb and pulled his hair back as if she was going to tie it into a ponytail. She made the hair on the sides of his head meet at the back before using the tail of the comb to split the back in half. The typical Pompadour style. A bit fancier than something Matty or Harry would do, but Louis was fancier than all of them in theory, so it seemed fitting.

Louis bit his lip to hold in winces as Sky combed at his hair and pulled in back away from his face. His hair felt stiff and big, but he knew that he had to have faith in her ways. She was the gal to know most about styling a guy's hair without going to Harry, Josh, or especially not Matty. Sky gave a satisfied pat to Louis' cheek which he took as the good to go for looking at himself.

Louis had to hold in his obvious glee when he saw himself. His face looked slimmer, he looked older, and he looked all together better in his opinion. Louis gave a low whistle as a proper reaction instead. Sky smiled and held the comb between her hands.   
"What d'ya think?"

"I look sick! But in a good way. I look like an actual greaser."

Sky pushed him as she laughed and shook her head. She put the comb down next to the sink and gave him another shameless once over.   
"How about I grab the camera so we can remember this piece of work?" she offered.

"Oh, I know how expensive film is, Sky. You don't have to."

"Don't get all cold feet on me now. I need proof of this one," she held a finger up to tell him to stay right there as she went to the other side of her home to grab said camera. Louis smiled and shook his head.

"Alright, how do you want it?" she huffed as she ran back with the camera clutched excitedly in her hands.

"Oh, I didn't think this far ahead," he said bashfully. He shoved his hands further in his pockets while looking down at the bathroom tile.

"Tell me about it, stud," she laughed and snapped the picture. She managed to catch Louis' eyes glancing up at her in the photo, so when it came out and the ink fully finished developing they laughed happily at how well it turned out.

They didn't have as much time as they wished they did to admire how incredible Louis looked because within the same moment, Josh was letting himself into the house. Only this time, he wasn't alone. There were slight scraping sounds against the hardwood floor when he walked in and Sky raised a brow at the noise.

"Anybody home?" Josh called out through the house and Sky rolled her eyes. Leave it to Josh to have people questioning what exactly had walked into their house.

"I'll go deal with him," Sky sighed, but it was a good natured sigh, or course. She left Louis to stare at himself in the mirror and when she stepped into the living room, her jaw was dropping about as far as it had when she saw the fully developed photo of Louis just moments ago. 

"Okay, first of all, why aren't you at work? Secondly, _what the hell, Josh_?" she asked tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose because _what_? But at the same time, she didn't really know why she was surprised.

"Oh, I found this little guy wandering around outside the shop and I wanted to help him, so Harry's holding down the fort for now," Josh explained as he knelt down to be face to face with a full grown German shepherd. He scratched the canine between the ears with his greasy-black fingers, earning a tail wag from the pup and Sky was still trying to piece this all together.

"So you brought him over here because..?" Sky asked curiously, crossing her arms over her chest, her brow still raised.

Josh frowned slightly as he stood again, "because he doesn't have a collar and I didn't want some shit heel pickin' him up and hurting him," he said.

"Well, I don't know what you're expecting to do with him here."

"I'm lookin' for his owner, I swear. I already brought him around the neighborhood asking people, but no one knows of him.. poor little guy," Josh said, looking down at his furry companion. "I thought we could keep him here a few days while I find his owners. I'll make posters and everything."

Sky bit her bottom lip and she tried not to let Josh's puppy dog face break her. One look down at the actual puppy dog's face had her groaning, "fine. I'll give you a week. After that we're taking him to a shelter, alright?"

Josh's face lit up then, "yes! Okay! One week, I'll find his owner," he nodded quickly and Sky couldn't help the smile on her face.

A day went by. Then two days. Then three. Then soon enough it had been a week. A week of Josh walking the dog around town and asking literally anybody he passed if they recognized the pup.

There was little luck for the first few days and Josh was beginning to think there was no hope for finding his owner.

He had noticed that anytime they tried to leave the house, the German shepherd would tug at it's restraints and try to stay in the house. But when Josh would finally manage to get the pup to follow him outside, he'd bolt straight towards Matty's GTO. Josh would have to tug at the leash to keep him from potentially scratching up the paint.

Regardless, Josh's time was up. He was given a week and he still had no leads as to where or even who the dog's owner was. He frowned as he walked back to Matty & Sky's with the panting pup on the leash. Sky was already outside, perched on the front steps with a cigarette placed between her full red lips. She gave Josh a sympathetic half smile. She could see it in Josh's face just how important this little dog was to him. If she could handle the expenses of herself, Matty, Harry, Louis, and a dog, she would! But that just wasn't the case, unfortunately. She hated the look on Josh's face in that moment. But she just couldn't manage it. She felt so bad turning him away.

Especially with the way Josh knelt down to be eye level with the dog. The shepherd licked at his cheeks excitedly, pawing at Josh's chest and Josh knew that he couldn't just part with this dog. It wouldn't be easy if he did. But he didn't want to. "I'm gonna take him home," Josh announced with a smile and Sky's brows raised.

"Really?" she asked, a bit surprised as she wasn't expecting Josh to take up the responsibility of a pet. Especially a large dog like this one. "You're sure you can take on the challenge?"

"I'm gonna," Josh nodded determinedly as if to say it was final. No ifs, ands, or buts.

And from then on, the pup was his. And eventually theirs. The dog was over at Matty's place more often than not so it wasn't that big of a surprise when the rest of them warmed up to the canine shortly after Josh had. He went home with Josh every night, but he followed Josh everywhere he went. Regardless, they all took a liking to the dog.

In fact one day Matty was heading out to the store and just as he'd opened the driver's side door of his car, out came the dog that still didn't have a name. But that would be changed quite quickly. He jumped up and plopped his little butt down in the front seat, panting excitedly as he glanced back at Matty.

Matty managed a little smile when Josh came running out.   
"Shit! Matty! I'm so sorry! I didn't see the door open! He didn't mean anything by it--"

"Would you look at that?" Matty chuckled, interrupting Josh's babbling. "He's a natural born rider. Maybe that's what we'll call him."

"Ryder?"

"Yeah. Ryder."

Louis followed Harry outside when they heard Josh's yelling. Harry was hoping to watch Matty pummel Josh for fucking up his car. But what happened next was even better.

"What are the odds? A dog has driven more than I ever have," Louis shook his head, crossing his arms jealously.

Matty's lips parted at Louis' words and he looked back at the couple on the front steps of his house. Louis looked tiny compared to Harry who was standing behind him. The top of his head was in line with Harry's jaw. It was kind of cute, Matty thought, but that was beside the point.

Josh's dropped jaw told Matty that he wasn't the only one thinking, "you've never driven before?" But it was more of a statement than a question. "Like ever? At all? In your entire life?"

Louis was a bit confused as to why it mattered, because even when he turned his head to look at his boyfriend, he found that Harry had the same stupid, dumbfounded look on his face.   
"No.. I was saving up money to buy my own car and get my license but school and my parents and.. other things kind of got in the way of that.." Louis explained, nervously fixing his fringe.

"That does it," Matty shook his head and Louis felt like he was about to be lectured. "Get off my porch."

Harry's brows furrowed at that and he was about to open his mouth to tell him off, but Matty spoke sooner than Harry could part his lips.

"And get in my car," Matty finished with a smile and this had Harry and Josh gaping.

"Wait, what?" Louis asked, looking back at his boyfriend as if Matty was speaking some foreign language that only Harry could translate.

"He wants you to drive his car," Harry explained and Louis' eyes widened.

"Wait, are you serious?" Louis asked Matty, a bit excited, but also terrified.

"Yeah, man! Are you serious? You've _never_ let me drive the Ponty!" Josh whined like a child and Ryder barked from the front seat.

"The more you whine about it, the lower your chances get," Matty teased his younger friend as he moved the shoo Ryder into the backseat.   
"What d'you say we find a parking lot somewhere and teach you?" he asked Louis.

Josh pouted jealously as he watched Louis bounce on his heels with excitement.   
"Let's do it!" he cheered and Matty gestured for him to climb in the passenger side.

"You can come, too, unless you wanna just sit there and pout," Matty told Josh as he climbed in the driver's side and started the car. Once he rolled the windows down, Ryder barked at the man.

Josh sighed, his pout being replaced with a smile as he and Harry sandwiched the dog between them in the backseat.

Louis didn't take his eyes off of Matty. Taking mental notes of everything Matty did while driving. Of course he had some idea of what to do considering Niall had taken him out in the Mustang a few times, but everything helps.

Matty's steering wheel had a Brodie knob (or more popularly known as a 'suicide' knob) built into it that made it easier to turn considering old cars like these needed all the help they could get when it came to the steer-turn ratio.

Matty kept one foot on the pedals at all times. He never used two at a time. He alternated between one hand on the wheel and two hands. Louis figured that part wasn't necessarily important. Either way, he was sure Matty would teach him the basics. Matty loved his car too much to just turn Louis loose and let him drive however he felt like.

Louis just hoped he wouldn't screw anything up.

Navigating around a parking lot was easier than Louis initially thought it would be. He just had to dodge light poles, curbs, and any cars that came through. Whenever one did pass by, Louis would nervously stomp on the brake, resulting in everyone being knocked forward a little. Josh took to holding Ryder in his lap considering the dog couldn't exactly wear a seatbelt.

Louis would apologize profusely every time. He felt like he was doing so horribly, like he would break someone's nose on the dash or the front seat.

But he was most worried about damaging Matty's car in any way. Especially considering Matty was in the passenger seat right beside him. Matty's eyes seemed to be glued to Louis' hands and feet while glancing up at the space before them to warn Louis about an oncoming obstacle. Even if Louis didn't have the guts to go any faster than 10 miles per hour.

There was an instance however when Louis was turning a corner and accidentally drove over the curb with the back wheel. He stomped on the brake (and by then the rest of them had learned to be prepared for it) and he apologized to Matty a thousand times over. Matty set the car in park for Louis and let him spew his apologies.

Louis was shaky and he looked like he was near tears and the sound of his voice was heartbreaking, so Harry scooted up in his spot behind the driver's seat so he could gently place his hands on Louis' shoulders.   
"Baby, you're doing perfect, okay?" he whispered when he was close enough for Louis to hear it. 

Louis took deep breaths and visibly relaxed at the feeling of Harry's warm hands and the sound of his voice.   
"But I've messed up so much and I've almost killed the dog twelve times because I don't brake right and I almost popped Matty's tire and I _suck_," Louis rambled out, shaking his head stressfully. He hid his face in his hands and Harry just smiled fondly.

"But you didn't, Lou. The tire's fine, Ryder's fine, we're all fine," Harry told him, squeezing his shoulders supportively. "You're doing better than Josh did the first time he drove," he smirked.

"You really are," Matty laughed along with Harry's words and it made Louis smile.

"Hey, I'm sitting right here," Josh shook his head, Ryder licking his cheek after that.

"Yeah, covered in slobber, too!" Harry teased, reaching over and lightly scratching through Ryder's fur approvingly.

"You know what?" Josh said with a smirk, starting a bantering conversation with Harry while Matty leaned over to talk to Louis.

"You're doing fine, kid. You didn't pop anything and even if you did, tires can be replaced. Ryder's doing fine," he said supportively and Louis nodded in understanding, glad that Matty was being so cool about the whole ordeal (which wasn't even that much of an ordeal in the first place, but Louis still felt bad).

"Yeah," Louis nodded again, taking another breath and settling back into the driver's seat again.

"You wanna go home?" Matty asked him and Louis nodded as a response.

They all climbed out and switched spots. Matty took up driving while Josh & Ryder sat shotgun.

Harry & Louis sat alone in the back. Well, technically speaking, Harry was sat in a seat while Louis climbed into his lap, hiding his face in Harry's neck.   
"I did pretty good, didn't I?" Louis asked curiously and Harry nodded.

"Of course you did, angel face. You did so good," Harry told him honestly, his arms wound tightly around Louis' waist.

Louis blushed against Harry's skin, placing a small kiss there where his neck met his shoulder. Louis loved to be praised. Some would think him conceited, but he just loved it when Harry would tell him how good he was. Especially during the times when his lips were around Harry's cock.

Let's just say Louis was easing into his own sexuality quite impressively. He was gaining his old confidence back. The kind he had before he met Eleanor. The kind that allowed him to take off his shirt at the pool or in this case, please not only his boyfriend but himself as well.

But that's beside the point.

Louis was glad that he had such good company whilst completing one of life's most stressful tasks; learning to drive. He was sure that if Eleanor were the one to help him with this, he would've been subjected to an endless mantra of insults and deprecation.

And it was quite an understatement to say that Louis was happy to have better company.

So when they got home later than night and settled in, Harry pulled out his wallet and set it on the bedside table like he did every night whilst Louis changed.

Harry eyed his boyfriend as he peeled his shirt from his own torso and sat back against their bed. Something poked into his back slightly, so he sat up for a second to retrieve whatever it was and found the gorgeous picture of Louis that Sky had taken earlier that day.

He bit his lip fondly as he ran the pad of his thumb over Louis' extremely photogenic cheekbone. He reached for his wallet and slipped the photo into the sleeve up front where you'd put your driver's license so he could see it.

Louis turned to join him in bed when he noticed Harry staring quite endearingly at the inside of his wallet.   
"What're you looking at?" he asked curiously as he crawled up to Harry from the foot of the bed, dressed up in Harry's shirt of course and his own boxers.

Harry turned the leather money holder to show the picture off, "this gorgeous little thing that was laying in our bed," he smirked.

Louis' cheeks heated up when he spotted his face in the confinements of Harry's wallet. Sky must've put the picture in their room so Harry could have it. 

"Y-You like it?" he asked hopefully, looking up at Harry as he wrapped his arms around Harry's torso, clinging to him.

Harry nodded, "_love_ it," he corrected, folding up his wallet and setting it on the table again. He settled back against the sheets with Louis laying across his chest.   
"Just like I _love_ you," Harry added, closing his eyes with a smile lighting up his face.

"I'm gonna say it back one of these days, I promise," Louis said as he reached up to shut off their lamp. He settled against Harry's chest once again and sighed quietly, "it's just sort of.."

"Tough?" Harry guessed and Louis nodded.

"The last person I said that to.. well, it ended pretty badly," Louis closed his eyes, just focusing on Harry's heart that was beating so lively and loud and lovely beneath Louis' head.

"That's alright," Harry whispered back, his warm hands moving up to rub over Louis' back which felt pretty nice. "Goodnight, baby boy."

"Goodnight, Harry," Louis hummed, leaning up to kiss Harry soft and slow.   
"Someday," he whispered, "I'll say it someday. Cool?"

Harry grinned fondly, "cool."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis falls in love.

"_Green eyes, I'd run away with you. Green eyes, cause I'm a fool_."

**-Green Eyes by, Wavves**

**\---**

"So what was your first date like?"

Louis had taken to asking Harry this question as a way to keep a conversation going. The group of greasers followed behind the couple on the Fourth of July, otherwise known as America's Independence Day. The fair was in town for the weekend and the greasers never missed it. So on that Saturday afternoon, they got a move on and went out for the day.

**(A/N:**_ fun fact! In 1959, July 4th was actually on a Saturday_!**)**

"Hmm," Harry hummed, pretending to think it over. Though the truth was, Harry had never been on a proper date with anyone. Harry admits that he was always sort of a hit-it-and-quit-it kind of guy. That is until Louis came along and changed that.   
"I'll have to let you know when we get home," Harry teased, looking over at Louis with a knowing smirk. The smirk grew at the sight of Louis' confused features.

It took him a second to realize that Harry had never been on an actual date. It honestly surprised Louis to hear that.   
"Wait. This is your first?" he asked for clarification because after all they've been through, Louis learned not to jump to the first conclusion. That usually came back to bite him in the ass.

Harry shrugged at that, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they walked the streets of LA. He'd much rather be holding Louis hand or waist or shoulder, feeling the soft fabric of his red and white striped shirt, but that wouldn't be the best idea for them. At least not in public like they were.

Harry was a tough guy, sure enough. He could take criticism and comments, but he wouldn't risk someone trying to hurt Louis. Be it physically or emotionally.

Of course it hurt that he couldn't just reach over and show everyone that Louis was his, but he'd rather suffer in silence for a few hours than take a chance at Louis getting hurt.

"If you want to call this a date, then yeah, it's my first," Harry gave Louis a pursed-lipped smile.

"Why do I find that a little hard to believe?" Louis asked teasingly, wishing he could just take a step to his left and slot himself under Harry's arm. Especially in the black leather the greaser was wearing. Louis decided he loved the feeling of it, almost as much as he loved the feeling of being held by his boyfriend. 

Louis could just see himself and Harry walking proudly down the streets, Harry's arm wrapped snugly around his shoulders, his hand on Harry's chest feeling the fabric of his white T-shirt, his fingertips playing with the necklaces that hung around Harry's neck. That would be the life.

Harry shrugged once again, running his fingers through his curls as he looked up ahead, "maybe 'cause you're under this false pretense that I lie to you," he joked, glancing back at their friends to make sure no one was being left behind.

Louis rolled his eyes at that, "you've proven me wrong each time and I've apologized a million times over," he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and holding his jean jacket (or rather Harry's jean jacket) tighter in his hands.

Harry's eyes flicked back to Louis' face for a moment, "babe, I'm just messing around."

Louis nodded, sighing tiredly, though he didn't need rest.   
"I know. I'm sorry, I just.. I love going out and doing stuff like this with you and the gang, but.." he glanced back at their friends, where Sky was wrapped around Matty's taller frame and Josh was chatting Perrie's ear off, making her laugh happily.   
"It's hard to watch all these girls and all their guys.."

Harry's eyes stayed fixated on Louis' profile, waiting for him to continue his thought.

Louis shook his head, "sorry."

"For?" Harry asked.

"For bringing the mood down," Louis shrugged and looked down at his shoes as they walked. "I just wish we could be together."

"We _are _together."

"I mean together like them," Louis clarified, gesturing back to Sky & Matty.   
"And them," Louis said quietly, pointing to another straight couple they had passed who were sharing a milkshake.   
"Them, too," Louis frowned in the direction of a couple who roller skated past the two of them, holding hands and rolling into the front gate of the fair to pay for their tickets at the booth.

Harry's eyes moved to glance at each couple Louis gestured to, feeling the same melancholy sort of twinge in his heart as Louis was.

"I know, Lou," Harry offered a sad half smile. "I wish we could be like that, but--."

"Why can't we be like that?" Louis asked then, keeping his voice low as there were a lot more people around them now. It was time for Louis to do what he usually did whenever he and Harry were out in public together; act like Harry was just his best friend. Which wasn't entirely a lie. Harry was his best friend just as Niall and Perrie were, but it's different when you're actually in a romantic relationship your best friend.

"Because people are narrow-minded dicks," Harry replied simply as he led the way to the side of the front gates. They would sneak in just like they did every year. Louis always got anxious when it came to this sort of thing because he was just waiting for them to get caught, even if they never really were.

When the gang made it to the hole in the back fence, these little flowers caught Louis' eye so he leaned down to pick a few. He looked around, seeing no strangers in sight, and grabbed Harry by the collar of his jacket. He pulled him down and kissed him for as long as he could before someone would see them.

When they pulled away, Harry had this dopey smile on his face and Louis' cheeks turned pink. He loved the way Harry looked at him like he meant the world. Louis tucked the little flowers in the chest pocket of Harry's jacket and zipped it up so they wouldn't fall out easily.

Harry watched Louis decorate his jacket with a fond smile. 

"I love you," he whispered to him as Matty & Sky crawled through the gap in the chain link first. They ended up right behind one of the rides, so no one would be able to catch them unless they were deliberately looking for trespassers.

"Someday," Louis replied to that, pecking Harry's lips once more because he could before he followed Perrie & Josh through the fence. Harry looked around behind them, only to find that there was no one.

Once Harry was on the other side with them, it was game time. Quite literally. They used the money they would've spent on a ticket from the front gate, on the games and rides around the lot.

When it came down to it, Louis would end up buying the group snacks and drinks whenever they became hungry or thirsty. It wasn't a problem to Louis, despite the numerous thanks and apologies he would receive from the grateful greasers, because he offered.

Though by then, Louis wasn't exactly sure if the entire group suited that title much anymore. Sure Harry & Josh were still grease monkeys at the car garage, Matty was still a tattoo artist and Sky was still a stay-at-home badass. But there was something a bit _different _about Perrie as of late.

Her lips weren't red like how they usually were, they were _pink_. Her hair wasn't teased and mostly hair-sprayed like it usually was, it was wavy and loose in a way that gave her this sort of day dreamy look. She had these earrings that looked like red roses, and right behind them were these tiny diamonds. She wasn't wearing leather or heels like she usually did. She had on this floral print romper and brown suede boots. Even her aura felt different. As if anyone around her would suddenly feel refreshed and positive.

Anyone around Perrie felt naturally positive and happy anyways, but now it was like any negativity from her recent breakup had vanished. She was no longer a heartbroken, moping ball of sadness. 

She was no longer '_Zayn's ex_' or '_the chick Malik cheated on_'.   
She was just Perrie Edwards. Just a normal girl.  
And everyone noticed the difference.

So of course, Josh lightheartedly teased her about her new get up whilst they snacked on candies such as M&Ms and sipped on cups of Coca-Cola at a wooden table by a concessions stand. Josh made a joke about how Perrie looked, "sweet like candy. They named the Pez dispenser after you."

Perrie rolled her eyes (despite her blush) at that because, "that was just plain corny," she laughed as Josh proceeded to pop Pez candy into his mouth from the little container he'd won by tossing plastic rings around empty beer bottles.   
"And also, Pez aren't sweet. They're mints used to help people quit smoking, which is probably something you should look into, Mr. Two-Packs-A-Day," she smiled as their friends laughed.

"Aw, c'mon, you know it looks sexy when I flick my Zippo open," Josh replied to that, "makes all the ladies swoon."

"Maybe all the _ladies _swoon but I'm no lady. I'm just Perrie," she shook her head at his logic, though she had to admit that it was sort of sweet the way Josh tried so hard to compliment her.

"Hi, Just Perrie. I'm Josh," he said and the entire table of friends groaned in unison.

Soon enough Josh's jokes subsided and the friends had separated from each other to do their own thing. Perrie & Josh went on the Ferris wheel after getting popcorn, Matty & Sky went on the roller coaster, and that left Harry & Louis to do whatever they wanted all on their own. Only they couldn't just do whatever they wanted like all of the other couples that were walking around hand in hand or even making out in the line for a ride.

So Louis decided that he would be Harry's buddy for the time being. Guys went to hang out with other guys all the time and he hangs out with Niall all the time, so it shouldn't be hard to be just friends with Harry for a day. They were friends before, they could be fake friends then.

"So.. _pal_," Louis playfully punched Harry's bicep as they walked side by side along the gravelly pathway. There were tons of people around so it wasn't like they could sneak around by holding pinkies or something small like that.

"_Buddy_.." Harry pursed his lips with an awkward smile as he gently shoved Louis' shoulder in response. It all felt weird and unnatural, but they went with it.

"Okay, we've got to get better at this," Louis laughed at their attempt.

"We will with time," Harry replied.

"I don't really _want _to have to get better, but.."

"Me neither. But I think it'd be easier if we just sort of.. laughed about it, you know? Make a joke out of it. Then it won't hurt as bad," Harry gave a half smile, nudging Louis' arm again and to the outside world, they looked like two ordinary platonic friends, even if they looked at each other like they put the stars in the sky.

"Yeah. This is funny," Louis nodded in agreement with a little laugh as he thought it over again. "I can laugh about it," he nodded again.

"Cool," Harry winked subtly and he followed Louis around for the rest of the day and even if that sounded like some sort of burden or chore, Harry loved it.

They ate cotton candy together and shared a cup of soda because buddies shared soda all the time, right?   
Sure.

Acting like friends wasn't as hard as Louis thought because they were once friends. The only difference was the lack of displays of affection and if they were honest, they could handle the lack of PDA for a few hours. If anything, it would just make it that much better when they got home.

There were a few moments at first when it was difficult for Louis because he was so used to just reaching for Harry's hand or pulling him down for a kiss whenever he wanted. But the worst of it all was when they stopped to play a few games. The sun was setting and it was getting quite chilly, so Louis pulled on his jacket.

Both of them played a few different games but didn't win anything.   
"Carnival games are rigged anyways," Louis joked as he was one to do, making Harry smile as they walked away from one of the booths to a different one.

Then when Harry finally won and was rewarded with a stuffed lion, Louis gave him a crisp high five instead of a tight hug. But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was when Harry handed the animal to Louis with a grin and Louis' lips parted slightly. 

Louis looked down at the lion then back up at Harry and he giggled sweetly.  
"This is really cute, Harry," he swooned without really realizing how fond he looked.

Harry's grin faded as he glanced up to see a couple walk by them, the girl whispering something to her boyfriend before both of them looked at Louis and laughed.

Louis pursed his lips and said, "i-it's for his girlfriend," handing the animal back to Harry with a slight frown on his face that left Harry a bit deflated. Harry held onto the stuffed lion until the gang met up again and they decided it was time to leave. It was getting dark and they were sure the fireworks would start up soon.

Louis' brows raised as they were walking down the crowded street and he watched Perrie link her hand with Josh's.

That was new.   
Okay.

Louis nudged Harry's arm with his elbow to get his attention (because with the stuffed animal that had ended up back in his hands, he couldn't just tap him) and nodded up ahead of them to show Harry the new potential couple. Harry's brows raised in slight surprise as well. They weren't upset by it, but it was definitely a shock.

"I think it's just weird for me to see Josh with a girl in general," Harry whispered jokingly and Louis cracked a smile for the first time in a little while and Harry figured that was a good accomplishment.

"Right?" Matty said from the side of them with a joking smirk, his fingers tangled with Sky's like usual. It was actually a rare occurrence when they weren't holding hands.

"I'm happy for them," Louis shrugged, giving his opinion.

"Me, too, it's just.. different," Harry shrugged in response.

"Different can be good."

"Why, yes it can," Harry nodded in agreement and he wanted to see Louis smile once again, so he got an idea and led the group towards that hill he & Louis had grown so fond of.

From there the fireworks looked like colored stars among the real ones. The sky was black and cloudless and perfect for a light show. Laying in the grass with his friends and his Harry had Louis smiling bigger than he had in a while. In the dark, with the grass and their jackets masking their arms from view, and the stuffed lion by their legs, Louis rested his palm over the back of Harry's hand between them. It was safe. Had it not been for the other people around them (excluding their friends), Louis would've straddled Harry's hips and kissed him into the next week.

Harry turned to watch Louis then, the profile of his face that changed colors to match the lights in the sky. But his eyes stayed crystal clear despite flashing and reflecting whatever colors were shining over his face.

Harry turned his hand just slightly, allowing him to hold onto the tips of Louis' fingers. Louis' cheeks turned pink, or maybe it was just the lights, Harry wasn't sure.   
But it was beautiful either way. Louis was beautiful.

"Louis," Harry hummed over the chatter around them, earning a glance from the boy beside him.

"Harry," Louis whispered back with his pink lips and his long lashes and crinkles by his eyes because he was smiling so bright. Brighter than the fireworks, almost.

And Harry just stared at him, studying his face like it was the first or maybe the last time he'd see it. Definitely not the last.

"What?" Louis asked, curious as to why Harry was looking at him like that. Not that he was complaining. He could admit that he loved the attention.

"Nothing, it's just.." Harry started, swallowing thickly and moving his hand to properly lace their fingers together. "I've been hearing my name for nineteen years and you make it sound like it means something.."

Louis traced over Harry's big, constantly-scraped up knuckles with his thumb.   
"It does. You do," he nodded sincerely, scooting a tiny bit closer on their bed of grass so he could lay his head on Harry's shoulder ever so slightly.

"I say it a lot, but.. I love you," Harry whispered into Louis' hair, planting a tiny kiss there the way Louis loved.

"Someday," Louis replied, making Harry crack a smile and squeeze his hand affectionately.

When it came time to leave the hill, none of them were very disappointed. Going home meant drinking until they couldn't stop laughing. It meant being safe to do whatever they wanted without judgement. Home was good.

Josh & Perrie made it back first considering Perrie had hopped onto his back, her legs around his waist and arms wrapped loosely around his neck. She had complained about being too tired to walk and Josh didn't seem too troubled by the gesture, if his massive smile was anything to go off of.

Harry & Matty had fallen behind some to smoke (mostly because Harry knew Louis hated the smell) but they kept an eye on their partners whilst doing so.

"Cute," Sky chirped about Perrie & Josh from beside Louis.   
"Almost as cute as you two lovebirds," she winked, gesturing to him & Harry and Louis' hands were clammy enough as it was from holding Harry's hand on the hill.

"Y-Yeah, they are," Louis nodded with a nervous beat to his heart.

"You alright, babe?" Sky asked quietly as if there was someone around them listening in, though there wasn't.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just--" Louis pursed his lips, trying to figure out how to say it, "I was thinking of asking Harry to.. _you know_.. tonight," he stuttered out and Sky didn't seem disgusted or uninterested so he took that as a ticket to continue. "I just don't know how to bring it up."

"Well, we've still got booze back at the house. Maybe a shot or two will loosen you up enough, if you know what I mean," Sky nudged him playfully and his entire face turned a bright shade of scarlet.

"Y-Yeah," Louis let himself laugh at that one because it was quite funny. Who would've thought he and Sky would get along so well? Especially after all that'd happened. Louis just needed to let go and move on. The rest of the gang already had.

Louis had been drunk before of course. Just not off of the stuff they had.

He was five shots in by midnight and was already feeling loose & bubbly like Sky had joked about before. Harry was outside or in the bathroom or somewhere Louis wasn't and he wasn't too happy about that.

Perrie & Josh were on the couch, bouncing nickels into empty shot glasses and laughing hysterically, drinking a shot for each nickel they managed to bounce into a glass.

Matty & Sky were dancing, quite close in fact. Her arms around his neck with her back to his chest and Frank Sinatra playing throughout the house.

And then there was Louis who was watching them like a single, lonely freshman at homecoming.   
Only he was drunk and humming along to the tune of Frank Sinatra's _Hey! Jealous Lover._

When Harry walked in the door with a six pack and car keys, Louis then remembered when Harry had announced that he was taking Matty's car to get more beer. Louis felt sort of stupid for forgetting that, but he forgot about forgetting as soon as Harry flashed him a smile.

Louis had never been genuinely _drunk _around Harry. At least not while they were officially together. Not while they slept in the same bed under the same roof at night. Louis couldn't just go home and forget about it if he said or did something stupid and he had a tendency of speaking his mind when alcohol was involved.

But Sky was right; It definitely loosened him up. So maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Harry tossed the keys in the little dish by the front door and brought the six pack into the kitchen where Louis was sat at the island counter.

"Hello, angel face," Harry greeted as he pulled a bottle from the other five and popped the cap using the edge of the counter top.

"Hi, Hazzy," Louis replied to that, resting his chin in his hands that were propped up on the counter. His eyes were hooded and sort of bloodshot but Harry just grinned, leaning over the counter to look Louis in the eye.

"Someone had shots while I was gone," Harry pointed out because Louis was such an obvious drunk, he didn't know how he managed to get home from parties with Eleanor without his parents noticing how altered his mind was.

"Maaaaybe," Louis replied to that, raising a challenging brow.

"How d'you feel?"

"I feel great," Louis said honestly even if it was a little slurred. "Even better now that you're home."

"I'm always home when I'm with you."

Louis couldn't help it when his lips tugged into an even bigger smile than before, so he pulled himself a little closer to Harry so he could kiss him because, "I've been dying to do that all day."

"Yeah?" Harry smirked against Louis' Jack Daniels-flavored lips, his voice low and quiet, managing to send chills down Louis' spine as per usual.

"Yeah," Louis bit his lip, his blue eyes seeming to melt into Harry's green.   
"What have _you _been dying to do today?" Louis asked curiously, tapping Harry's chest with his fingertip.

Harry reached up to gently grasp Louis' finger in his fist. Their noses brushed slightly and Louis' lips were parting when Harry spoke because, "you don't want me to answer that question," he smirked in response and Louis let out a shaky breath.

"I do.." Louis replied bravely, swallowing hard. He watched Harry lick at the corner of his mouth, accentuating his smirk and Louis couldn't believe he was actually being sort of sexy for once. He felt sexy. He'd never felt sexy.

"How about you let me catch up to your level of inebriation then I'll _show _you what I've been dying to do?" Harry compromised and Louis nodded quickly, eagerly. "Cool?"

"Cool," Louis nodded, swallowing again when Harry kissed the tip of his finger before letting it go. He took his bottle with him into the living room and gestured for Louis to follow him.

Louis did because there was no where else he wanted to be that night than with Harry. Louis sat in Harry's lap and they all played little drinking games until Harry was properly wasted and Josh had run out of 'cool bar tricks' to show Perrie. She still showed interest even if she had seen them a million other times.

Sky & Matty were the first to turn in, saying their goodnights and heading off to their room.

After a bit of drunken singing between Josh & Harry, Louis had discovered that Harry's voice was even more beautiful than he'd initially thought.

Perrie's head was rested on Josh's lap and she'd join in every now and again which would make Josh smile even wider and Louis could tell that the greaser really cared for her.

Eventually Perrie had fallen asleep there on the couch and Josh began to yawn.   
"Think I'm gonna follow her lead," he mumbled, running his fingers through his short hair as he looked up at his friends.

"Sounds like a plan," Harry nodded in agreement, "bed, Lou?" he asked sweetly and Louis nodded quickly in response.

"Carry me," Louis held his arms up when Harry stood.

Harry hummed as he leaned down to lift his boyfriend from the chair with ease. Louis wrapped around Harry's torso like a koala, his face in Harry's neck. He smelled like alcohol but Louis didn't really care because Harry's cologne seemed to mix with it.

"Night, man," Harry told Josh before turning the corner into the hallway and moving to hold Louis against the wall, making him squeak.

"Haz," Louis giggled quietly as the older boy peppered kisses up and down his neck. His hands loosely fisted Harry's hair and he could feel his body temperature rising along with Harry's.   
"You gonna show me, now?" Louis whispered hopefully into Harry's ear, earning a low chuckle from him.

"Hell yeah," he replied, carrying Louis into their bedroom and kicking the door shut behind them. He set Louis down, but didn't leave him. "God, you're so pretty."

Louis laughed a little, "aw, you're a sappy drunk," he hummed endearingly as he walked his fingers up Harry's chest.

"Sometimes I just want to eat you up," Harry replied, watching Louis stand on his toes to kiss him, making Harry hum happily.

"So why don't you?" Louis asked curiously, but also temptingly, as if daring Harry to do so. Though he wasn't entirely sure what he was asking for.

"Are you a mind reader?" Harry chuckled with this dopey smile as he slowly walked Louis back to their bed, managing to do so without stumbling too much.

Louis let himself flop back against the sheets, bouncing a little as he looked up at Harry. He laughed at seemingly nothing and reached up for Harry's hands, pulling him down onto the bed with him.

Harry laughed along with him as he rested between Louis' legs. Even when they kissed, their giggles made it a little impossible to properly kiss one another. Neither minded very much, though.

"You taste _so _much better than beer," Harry mumbled against the corner of Louis' mouth that stretched into a bigger smile.

"You're the one who chooses to drink it," Louis laughed as he felt Harry's hands slip under the fabric of his T-shirt. He raised his arms and let Harry strip him of the article of clothing.

"I'd rather drink you."

"Mm, _please_," Louis tossed his head back against the pillows when he felt warm lips on his chest and quick fingers working at his zipper.

Louis' jeans were off in seconds, his boxers following behind shortly after and Louis thought nothing of it when he opened his eyes to look up at his boyfriend. He couldn't tell if it was the alcohol helping or if he was getting better, but he loved the confidence he had that night. It was so empowering and the way Harry looked at him had him wanting to scream. He liked being sexy.

"Wanna turn over for me, baby?" Harry asked and Louis chewed his lip, nodding hesitantly as he rolled onto his front, holding himself up on his hands and knees in front of Harry.

He was a little confused as to what was about to happen. Be it because of the alcohol or just in general. He thought it would be like the other times they'd messed around, just sucking each other off and cuddling after. He had no idea what was in store.

"H-Haz?" Louis breathed when he felt Harry's lips at the bottom of his spine, kissing up the bones one press of lips at a time.

"Mm?" Harry hummed in response when he reached Louis' shoulder blades.

"What're you going to do?"

"You trust me?" Harry asked instead of answering, his hands caressing Louis' hips.

"Of course," Louis said incredulously, turning his head to watch Harry out of his peripheral vision.

"Then relax, baby," Harry smiled against his skin, "I won't hurt you, I promise."

Louis nodded in understanding and took a shaky breath when he felt Harry's lips press against the skin of his bum. Then his teeth were lightly scraping over the same area and Louis was sure there would be a mark there. He didn't stop Harry, though. He was just reveling in the feeling of Harry's mouth and his big hands on his thighs.

Louis squeaked slightly when he felt Harry's lips on his hole, "Haz--"

Then his tongue.

Louis' jaw fell open and his hands clutched the sheets beneath him tight enough for his knuckles to turn white. He knew about guys doing this with girls in.. different areas. He wasn't _completely_ clueless when it came to sex but he _never_ would've guessed that guyscould do this as well.

He was silent for a moment until Harry flattened his tongue over the area, making Louis whimper, his arms shaking slightly.

"Oh, God," Louis breathed out as Harry slowly traced Louis' rim with the very end of his tongue.  
"Harry," he whined into the space before him, trying to stay still but that was proving to be quite difficult.

Harry hummed against him, his hands moving to spread Louis' cheeks, making it easier to properly eat him out.

Louis managed to keep himself up and stay relatively quiet until Harry decided to press his tongue past the ring of muscle that was Louis' rim. The slight stretch alongside the warm, wet feeling of Harry's tongue had Louis collapsing onto his front. Harry kept hold of his hips, keeping his bum in the air despite Louis' shaky thighs.

One relatively high pitched moan that escaped his lips had Louis turning his head to bury his face in the pillows. Harry didn't stop and Louis didn't want him to. It felt so damn good, why hadn't Harry suggested this sooner?

"H-Harry--" Louis' voice shook as he tried to glance back at his boyfriend, but his limp arms wouldn't allow it. "_God_!"

Harry smiled against his skin that was wet with saliva. He reached between Louis' legs to grasp his cock, gently pulling it back until it was parallel with his thighs. Harry licked a long stripe from the underside of Louis' cock, over his balls, along his taint, then finally back to his hole.

"W-Where did you learn all of this..?" Louis gasped out, biting into the sheets to keep himself quiet, though Harry's smirk said he wasn't doing a very good job of managing that.   
"Fuck," Louis' voice was muffled but Harry definitely heard the word he groaned out.

"Don't hear that leave your mouth too often," Harry thought aloud, squeezing Louis' cheeks in his hands before burying his face between them again.

"Harry, please.." Louis breathed, though he wasn't too sure of what he was begging for exactly.

"Mm, what, baby doll?" Harry's voice filled Louis' senses and he was sure he could come just from the gravelly sound of it.

"Feel so good," he replied like music to Harry's ears.

He smiled then, moving to trace Louis' rim with his fingertip. Harry had yet to properly finger Louis, but there's a first for everything. 

Louis gasped at the feeling of the pad of Harry's index finger.

"Is that okay?" Harry hummed before going any further because he refused to put Louis through something he wasn't comfortable with.

Louis nodded, his teeth raking over his bottom lip as he did so, taking a deep breath as he let Harry continue as he pleased.   
"Please.." he whispered, making Harry's cock twitch in his jeans.

So Harry continued, carefully pressing his finger in to the knuckle, making Louis gasp against the sheets.   
"Good?"

"_So _good," Louis nodded quickly, and when Harry slowly started to move his hand, Louis was near tears. "So, so good," he whined, sort of disregarding his task of being quiet.

Harry smirked, leaning back in to press his tongue along Louis' rim again. He hummed as he did so, making Louis' legs turn to jelly. Had Harry not been holding onto his hips, he would've fully collapsed onto the mattress.

"Oh, my God, Harry!" Louis cried into the pillows and when Harry's fingertip brushed over Louis' prostate, he quite literally sobbed, "fuck!"

Harry curled his finger again, the cool metal of his ring pressed right up against Louis' rim. It was a mixture of warm and cold and wet and it was so good, Louis wanted to drown in the feeling.

With each curl of Harry's finger, Louis was writhing against the sheets, his pretty sounds filling the room and most likely waking their friends. But that was okay, there had been plenty of times when they had heard Sky & Matty in the other room.

"H-Harry, I--" Louis gasped, tugging at the sheets beneath him in attempts to keep himself (somewhat) grounded, "it's too much--"

"Want me to stop?" Harry chirped, pausing his movements and Louis shook his head frantically.

"No! No! Please don't! Please!" Louis cried, reaching back to hold onto whatever part of Harry he could. 

So Harry resumed his actions, his free hand moving forward slightly so Louis could hold it. Even if 'holding' it meant digging his nails into his palm and squeezing his fingers every time Harry brushed over his prostate.

Harry thrust his wrist forward once, twice, three times, then Louis' body was finally collapsing onto the mattress before spilling into the space between his chest and the sheets.

The sudden loss of contact from Harry had Louis crying against the pillows. So Harry moved to stand, scooping him up into his arms even if Louis' body was completely limp in his hold. His lips were parted with heavy panting breaths leaving them. His fingers gripped into Harry's shirt loosely as he carried him out of the bedroom and right across the hallway to the bathroom.

Louis rested his head against Harry's shoulder and looked up at him with hooded eyes and long lashes. He reached up to lightly cup Harry's jaw so he'd look at him. Louis looked completely fucked out with his bitten lips and flushed cheeks.

But even with his hooded eyes and drunken brain, Louis could admit that he was falling in love with his greaser.

He let Harry set him in the bath and when the water was warm, Harry disrobed and sat behind him. He cleaned Louis up and kissed his wet hair and held him close and Louis was _definitely _in love.

He just wished it didn't take so long for him to realize that.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis loses his v-card in Vegas.

"_Take my hand. Take my whole life, too.. 'cause I can't help falling in love with you_."

**-Can't Help Falling In Love by, Elvis Presley**

**\---**

"So how many strings did you end up having to pull to get Matty to let you take the Ponty?" Louis asked from the passenger seat of Matty's second most prized achievement. The first of course being his loving girlfriend, but that's besides the point.

It was early August when Harry had woken Louis up with a chipper little 'let's take a ride'. Louis didn't really know what to make of it at first, as he had assumed that they were just going somewhere with the group again. But when he stepped outside to find Harry casually sliding into the driver's side of Matty's GTO, it definitely raised a few questions in Louis' mind.

"Told him if I wrecked his car, I'd let him pummel me into the pavement," Harry shrugged nonchalantly, as if the thought of Matty beating him to a pulp didn't faze him.

"Guess you shouldn't wreck it, then," Louis smirked from his side of the car.

"Guess I shouldn't," Harry replied with the same flirty little smirk. It had taken some time of course, but Louis was finally starting to perk up again. He had gained the majority of his old confidence back, which of course meant that the sassy comments and playful nature had returned as well. Harry wasn't complaining. Not one bit.

It was quiet for a bit other than the sound of the engine and the little pebbles that crumpled beneath the rubber of the tires every now and again. Once they were finally on the highway, Louis had taken to watching Harry drive. His eyes focused on the road, his jaw set in concentration, though his overall body language would suggest that he was completely at ease.

He kept one hand on the wheel, the opposite arm resting on top of the conjoined seat. Louis would glance over at Harry's lap, which had become one of his favorite seats, and smile because if he really wanted to, he could just scoot over and wrap himself around the older boy while he drove. But that didn't really seem all that safe, so Louis refrained.

About an hour into the ride was when Louis finally questioned Harry's motives.   
"So where exactly are you taking me?"

"It's a secret," Harry said, biting back a smirk because he felt like the best boyfriend ever in that moment. Though Louis wouldn't know why until they arrived.

"Aw, come on, Hazzy," Louis pouted, moving a hand across the seat to squeeze at Harry's thigh. "Please tell me?"

Harry's eyes flicked down to study the sudden pressure on his leg, then over at Louis who had his bottom lip out. And despite how absolutely adorable he looked, Harry shook his head. "Sorry, baby. My lips are sealed."

Louis sighed and sat back against the seat again, "are you leading me to the boonies where you'll drop me off and leave me for the coyotes?"

Harry's brows raised in slight concern, but he shook his head, "yes, I'm leading you to your inevitable death."

"Shame," Louis hummed jokingly. "I'll miss your pretty face."

"M'not pretty," Harry chuckled.

"Fine, I take it back. You're ugly."

"There you go," Harry winked at him with that fond smile. The one that made his cheeks stretch back despite the dimple beside his lips.

Another hour went by and Louis was bored out of his mind. 

"How much longer until we get to wherever you're taking me?"

"Another two hours," Harry replied with a sympathetic half smile, then got an idea.   
"Unless you wanna take that down to one.."

"Huh?" Louis raised a brow, confused as to what Harry was suggesting.

"Don't worry about it," he smirked, reaching for the stick shift and switching into the next gear. The next thing Louis knew, Harry's foot was pressing down on the gas pedal a little harder and the speedometer was climbing up as high as 70 mph.

"Harry, what are you doing? Slow down, you're gonna get a ticket," Louis told him, though he had to admit he was sort of thrilled by the way his heartbeat seemed to pick up speed to match the pace of the car. His veins were alight with adrenaline and Louis didn't really know how to feel about it. 

They were breaking the law, but he didn't really seem to mind it as much as he used to. Not as much as he did back when Harry would steal bottles of vodka and kick someone's ass for threatening his baby.

Louis would smile whenever he saw the scar that ran horizontally across Harry's ship tattoo. Harry thought it looked badass, which made Louis shake his head fondly, but he loved that Harry saw it in a positive light. Louis was still trying to get over the fact that Harry could've died that day. All for him.

"Cutting down our travel time," Harry said with a simple grin, "but on the off chance some pig decides to pull us over, my name is Josh Devine," he smirked.

Louis tried his best to fight the laugh that came, but it was no use.   
"That's so not cool," he said, but his smile seemed to contradict the words he spoke.

Harry just shrugged, "you trust me, though. Right?"

"What? Of course," Louis replied incredulously, then narrowed his eyes at the older boy.   
"Wait, why?" he asked suspiciously because he could already tell Harry was up to no good.

"No reason," he said biting his lip as he shifted into the next gear and sped up to about 80 mph, the roar of the engine making Louis' heart skip a beat. 

Who would've thought Louis a speedster?

Louis just shook his head as he leaned forward to click the radio on, an upbeat song playing through the speakers which seemed to fit the mood of the drive perfectly.

So Harry managed to (not-so-legally) cut two hours down to one, and as they zipped passed the Nevada state line, Louis' lips parted curiously. He tried to think of a reason as to what they could possibly be doing in Nevada.

He didn't bother asking Harry because he knew he'd get another answer that was along the lines of 'it's a secret' or 'can't tell you'. 

So he just sat and watched the scenery that passed. Lots of dried, yellow grass and dirt. Even a few dust devils out in what looked to Louis, like a miniature desert. A cloud of dust seemed to follow along behind their speeding vehicle on Interstate 15 as the tires kicked up any dirt that had been resting on the hot pavement.

Louis rolled his window down and held his arm out, letting the warm wind sift between his fingers and whip through his wispy hair.

Within the next twenty minutes, Louis' brows were raising to accommodate his wide blue eyes and dropped jaw.   
"We're in _Vegas?!_" Louis shouted excitedly over the wind as they approached the city. "Why are we in Vegas?!"

"You'll see, sugar," Harry hummed, the pet name making Louis' cheeks turn pink as they slowly followed the traffic down Las Vegas Boulevard.

From that point on, Louis was as good as glued to the window. He took in all the sights rolling past them and couldn't contain his glee. Every minute or so he'd tap Harry's arm excitedly, pointing to buildings--to which Harry would fondly chuckle and reply, '_I'm driving, Lou_'.

That didn't drag Louis' mood though. Instead, he unbuckled his belt, rolled down his window, and stuck his upper body out the window, feeling the warm air whip around his face and through his hair. Harry considered telling him that it was illegal to hang out of the car like that, but decided against it. 

Instead, he settled for watching his smiling boy from the corner of his eye and slowing down slightly for him.

Louis re-seated himself a few minutes later. His hair was a nest atop his head and his cheeks were flushed pink. The boy looked like the definition of wild.

"You really are somethin' else," Harry hummed as he reached over to rest his hand on Louis' bouncing knee, his thumb rubbing over the denim of his jeans. Harry was still getting used to seeing Louis in anything other than khakis.   
"If you like how it looks now, just wait until the sun goes down," he told Louis as they continued down the strip for a few blocks.

The two stopped for food at a little pizza place that was surrounded by casinos, bars, and hotels. Day time Vegas was definitely not as gorgeous as night time Vegas. Freaks come out at night, after all. So Louis tried his best to try and guess why they had come here.

"Are we running away?" Louis asked nonchalantly around a bite of pepperoni, grease staining the corners of his lips, but Harry thought it was cute. In the sense that Louis was cute when he wasn't trying too hard to be perfect. He wasn't perfect and that's why Harry loved him.

Harry just smiled and shrugged however, "sort of. But that's not why we're here."

"Hmm.. are we gambling until we're rich?"

"If you'd like," Harry replied, taking a bite of his own piece. "Still not why we're here."

"Are we eloping?"

"Maybe next time," Harry winked fondly, loving the way Louis nibbled on his lip as he tried to think of more reasons for their presence in Paradise, Nevada.

Ten extremely out of the ordinary guesses later, and Louis still didn't have an answer. Harry really was telling the truth when he said his lips were sealed. It frustrated Louis slightly, but he knew that whatever Harry was up to was going to be good. He just didn't know exactly how good until they got back into Matty's GTO.

The oil slick black vehicle wheeled them a few more blocks down the strip, which took a bit longer than necessary considering the traffic in Las Vegas was similar to that of New York City. Louis didn't mind however. It just meant he had more time to study the large buildings and the variety of people who crowded the streets. And the sun would still be up for a few more hours. Louis had no idea what would be in store for them once the moon and stars took it's place in the sky.

So Harry drove them to the hotel they would be staying at for however long they would be in town, which also happened to be a restaurant and casino. Let alone the fact that there were multiple large show rooms dedicated to performances of many kinds. The New Frontier was famous for it's wide range of shows and it's western aesthetic.

Even just pulling into the parking lot had Louis raising a brow. 

"Do you have some sort of cowboy fetish I should know about?" he quipped, judging from the large amount of cowboy hats Louis had spotted while Harry parked the car.

"If I did, you'd be the first to know, darlin'," Harry said in his best, deep southern accent, pretending to tip an invisible hat on his head.

Louis rolled his eyes as he scooted closer in the front seat and moved to sit in Harry's lap. His bum may have bumped the steering wheel, causing the horn to honk once, which scared the life out of him.   
"Oh, gosh," Louis laughed at his own expense as he hid his face in Harry's chest. The older boy laughed as well, his hands linking together behind Louis' back, his palms flat against the small of it. "That's what I get for trying to be sexy."

"That was you trying?"

"And if it was?" Louis challenged, pulling back slightly to look into Harry's eyes. His forest green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight being reflected off the side mirror. Maybe it was just the Nevada heat, but Louis was starting to feel a bit warm inside.

Harry shrugged then after what felt like forever, Louis' hands moving to the boy's shoulders, squeezing affectionately. They just looked at each other for a moment. Something in it felt so real and warm and lovely. Louis didn't want to look away and neither did Harry, but he had to tell the boy why he'd driven them four hours away from home to a western themed hotel in Vegas of all places.

"Take a look at the sign, baby," Harry nodded his head towards the window, as if gesturing to the large sign just outside of the car.

Louis did as told, his eyes flicking up to the large reader board beneath the hotel's sign. He didn't really know what he was looking for, until he saw it. In big, bold letters was a single name. A single name that had Louis wanting to marry Harry right then and there.

"You didn't," Louis shook his head, barely managing to tear his eyes away from the sign to look at his boyfriend. "This is a joke."

Harry shook his head, "I'm afraid it's not a joke. I'm serious."

"How serious?"

"Deadly."

Louis didn't waste any time in dipping down for a hasty kiss. Harry's eyes fluttered closed and his arms tightened around his boy's torso, even if Louis' hands were slightly bruising on his cheeks.   
"You're saying you drove me four hours to Las frigging Vegas in your best friend's car to a frigging western themed casino to see _ELVIS FRIGGIN' PRESLEY_?!" Louis shrieked once he'd pulled away, panting slightly with bitten red lips.

Harry pretended to think it over for a second, then nodded, "that's exactly what I'm saying."

Louis' lips parted, but he was at a loss for words. He glanced back at the sign to make sure the letters were still there. That they were still spelling that man's name. And sure enough, all five letters were still staring back at him.

"There aren't words.." Louis shook his head, his hands covering his mouth in shock.   
"I might have to marry you.. or Elvis but preferably you.. or both. Is that legal?"

Harry laughed again, the sound making Louis' heart swoon.   
"It's in fact very _illegal_," he said as if Louis was seriously asking, but that was besides the point. "Sadly Mr. Friggin' Presley won't be here until later tonight."

"That's okay. I can wait," Louis nodded, and he seemed a little more calm than Harry was expecting until he spoke again, "okay, no I can't."

Harry hummed, leaning up to kiss Louis' cheek.   
"It'll be okay, Lou," he promised, "I'll tide you over until your knight in shining tassels arrives."

Louis rolled his eyes at that, but still managed a smile.   
"Where did you even get the money for all this?"

Harry grinned at the question, proudly answering with, "been selling my cigarettes to young delinquents."

Louis' brows raised at that, "how many?"

"Couple cartons.. may have stolen a couple packs from my dad here and there," Harry shrugged with a slight chuckle, then remembered Louis didn't know anything about his father.   
"He doesn't notice," he coughed slightly to try and cover his tracks.

"I wondered why your kisses stopped tasting like ash trays," Louis teased, not having really noticed anything odd about Harry's last statement, which made Harry feel relieved.

"Been trying to kick the habit for a bit now.. guess I just needed a little push," Harry said, tapping the end of Louis' nose.

"Oh, just admit it. You were getting tired of my nagging."

"Yes, I was. But I also enjoy your kisses very much," Harry cooed, leaning up to catch Louis' lips in another soft one. "Let's go inside."  
  
**\---**

When the sun finally set and the sky was pitch black aside from the moon and the lights of the city, Louis had practically burst out of their hotel room. He dragged Harry out after making sure they had the key, and they literally sprinted down the hallways, down the stairs, and to the showroom hallway.

"Louis, slow down," Harry laughed before they were stopped due to the line of people who were slowly but surely entering the room.

"Oh, Harry, can you believe it?" Louis whipped around to face his boyfriend, his big blue eyes staring up at him. "Elvis Presley is in this building with us. Right now. Just a few yards away."

"I can believe it, Lou. I bought the tickets, remember?" Harry chuckled, pulling them from his back pocket and handing one to Louis.

Louis looked at the card and ran the pad of his thumb over Elvis' name, taking a deep breath and nodding.   
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Louis asked Harry then, a little frown on his lips. "I mean, you don't even really care much for him."

Harry nodded, "I'm sure, baby. You're happy, right?"

Louis nodded quickly, "so happy. Ecstatic."

"Then that's all that matters," Harry smiled, reaching up to brush Louis' fringe out of his eyes.   
"I like making you happy," he said, his hand moving to caress Louis' cheek. "I wanna be happy with you."

Louis was putty in Harry's hands, turning his head slightly to kiss Harry's palm.

"I love you," Harry whispered, thumbing over Louis' cheekbone as the line started to move.

They followed behind the slight crowd of people who were just as excited as Louis was. A few girls were even crying over it and Harry thought it was a bit odd but didn't say anything about it. He just kept his hands on Louis' shoulders so he wouldn't lose him in the group and let him lead the way towards the stage.

The floor of the showroom was soon filled with bodies and voices that made it hard to hear, but Harry snaked his arms around Louis' waist from behind. Nobody seemed to mind it. Maybe because the room was sort of dark, but the way everyone crowded together for the show had people pushed up against one another, which left very little room for personal space. There was no such thing as personal space at concerts.

Harry rested his chin atop Louis' head as they waited, as it would be a little while longer before the show would actually begin.

Louis leaned into the warmth of Harry's chest, turning to face him and bury his face in his crewneck.   
"Thank you, Harry," he hummed, the smell of Harry's cologne making him smile. "You're incredible."

Harry's heart skipped a beat, which he was sure Louis heard.   
"It's nothing, Lou, really--"

"It's not nothing," Louis shook his head. "You've done so much for me, it's uncanny."

Harry shrugged modestly, his cheeks a little pink which was a rare occurrence. Though he'd never admit that he loved the praise. "Quit being sappy."

"Oh, right, that's your job," Louis teased, pressing a chaste kiss to Harry's jawline before turning in his arms again. They faced the stage, rocking side to side slightly to pass the time until tassel boy, as Harry called him, would finally come out.

"Here we go," Harry hummed into Louis' hair a while later as a single man stepped out onto the small stage. He was short and older than most of the people occupying the room, but his suit just seemed to scream formal, just as his voice did.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the man spoke, his hands clasped together and a smile on his lips.  
"Boys and girls. The great moment you've all been waiting for," he gestured to the curtain, "the one and only, Mr. Elvis Presley!"

The entire crowd lit up with the sound of bruising applause and deafening screaming, to which Harry simply clapped a few times. He'd been to shows before, just not one for someone as big and well-known as tassel boy.

Harry chewed his lip as the man of the hour made his big entrance and spoke to the crowd. Harry didn't hate the guy exactly but he could admit that he was jealous; Not of tassel boy's fame or fortune but the fact that Louis practically obsessed over him. Harry didn't really blame him, though.

Harry would also never admit that when the radio was on at work, he'd sing along to Elvis' songs. If you asked him, he would say that Josh picked the station, which was true. But Harry never really complained about having to listen to the man's music day in and day out. 

The guy was talented, Harry could give him that, and he was starting to understand all the hype now. Especially with the way the crowd seemed to swoon over the way he moved his hips. His stage presence was magnificent. He interacted with the crowd and connected with them. No one was left out and he made each person in the room feel some sort of special.

That twinkle in his eye proved how much the man loved his job.

What made Harry smile wider was when Louis turned to face him again, resting his head on Harry's chest and hugging him tightly around the waist. If Louis said anything, Harry definitely couldn't hear it over all of the commotion and hysteria around them. Louis tipped his head back for a kiss, asking silently with just a slight pucker of his lips. Harry shook his head fondly, dipping down to fulfill Louis' silent request.

Louis moved his arms up so he could cup his greaser's face in his hands, softly nibbling at his bottom lip as he did so. Harry hummed in content but sadly for Louis, he couldn't hear it. And nobody cared.. or maybe they were just too busy gawking over Elvis frigging Presley to be bothered. Harry preferred it that way anyways.

Harry didn't seem like the kind of guy who would be much for dancing, but he could tell Louis was enjoying every little spin the older boy gave him. If the crinkles by his eyes and his bubbly laugh were anything to go by.   
Or the way he'd just swing Harry's long arms side to side before spinning into them, Harry's chest against Louis' back as their arms were practically tangled together. They swayed together for a minute, Harry's smiling lips ghosting over the shell of Louis' ear, whispering soft things that made Louis sigh happily.

"Look at you, baby. You're glowing," Harry would tell him, and Louis would squeeze his hands affectionately as a thank you.

"You're quite the dancer, Styles. I'm really impressed," Louis said, his head rested back against Harry's shoulder, closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment.

"I swear, if you tell anyone I know how to dance.." Harry shook his head with a knowing smile, leaving the threat open ended, thus proving he wasn't serious.

"Your secret's safe with me, hot stuff," Louis laughed because Harry was usually the one to have little nicknames at the ready.

Harry would have leaned down for another quick kiss, but Louis froze at the sound of gentle piano music. 

"What is it, Lou?" Harry whispered into his hair before Louis pulled away from his grasp.

Louis' eyes were glued to the stage, his lips parted and eyes watering.

"Baby?" Harry reached out to take Louis' hand.   
"What is it?" he asked, moving forward to wrap his arms around Louis' waist again, not realizing the impact this particular song had on Louis.

"This song.." Louis answered simply as Elvis' voice became this deep, yet soft, and sultry sound. The lyrics seeming to drip from his lips like honey.   
"I-It's my favorite.." Louis told him, turning again and Harry frowned slightly at the sight of Louis' tearful eyes.

His vibrant blues were rimmed with red, his bottom lip wobbling slightly despite his smile.

"Hey, it's okay," Harry said, the room finally somewhat quiet as everyone seemed to be preoccupied with their significant others. His hands lightly trailed up Louis' sides to thumb away a stray tear that fell. 

"It's just a song."

"It's not, though," Louis shook his head, looking up at Harry with this sparkle in his eye and Harry couldn't tell if it was the tears or something else entirely that caused it. And Louis was so, so beautiful. His cheeks were soft despite his sharp, prominent cheekbones.   
"Anytime I hear it, I.. I think about you. And I can't stop smiling like an idiot. Sort of like I am now," Louis laughed at his own expense, sniffling softly.

"Aw, Lou," Harry chuckled, kissing the end of his nose.

"C-Can we dance?" Louis asked then, hoping Harry would agree because something about the idea of slow dancing had Louis' heart beating faster behind his rib cage. "You can lead."

Harry didn't answer, he simply lifted Louis' hand in his own, kissing the back of it as if Louis were some sort of grand ruler who requested for his subject to kiss his rings.

Then he was gently pulling Louis closer, hooking an arm around Louis' waist.

"What was it you called him? My knight in shining tassels?" Louis giggled, holding Harry's bicep with his free hand.

"Something like that," Harry replied as Louis moved his hands to his boyfriend's chest. They were silent for a bit, Louis' tiny sniffles broke that every so often, but Harry didn't mind. 

"_Shall I stay_? _Would it be a sin_.." Harry sang along quietly, his lips pressing lightly to the skin beneath Louis' ear, ".._if I can't help falling in love with you_?"

Louis' body felt warm and weightless, Harry's voice sending shivers running down his spine.   
He swallowed thickly, "_take my hand. Take my whole life, too_.." Louis sang back to the boy, just as soft and genuine, ".._for I can't help falling in love with you_."

Harry pulled back slightly to look Louis' in the eyes, as if searching for some sort of confirmation. Louis knew what he was looking for. It was plain as day.

"Harry.." he said quietly, his hands absentmindedly gripping nervously into the fabric of Harry's shirt.

"Yeah," Harry replied, as if to tell him that it was okay. That it was safe to say whatever he needed to say. Promising him that he wouldn't try to bolt after hearing it.

"I.." Louis started, Harry's piercing green eyes making him lose his train of thought slightly, "Harry, I-I'm in love with you," he managed, his hands only shaking half as badly as he assumed they would. Though he didn't really have time to react as the next thing he new, Harry's lips were on his, the kiss deep and bruising. It never seemed to end and Louis didn't want it to.

He grasped the taller boy by the collar, standing on his toes to chase the feeling, the need. Harry's thumbs pressed into the juts of Louis' hipbones, making him whimper slightly.   
They parted, but only to breathe, Harry humming, "I've been waiting for the day when you'd finally say it."

"Thought you said you didn't care if I never said it?"

"I did and I mean that," Harry breathed, glancing down at his hands on Louis' hips, "and something in the way you look at me like I mean something told me that you loved me, but _hearing_ it? Knowing it? It feels so fucking great to hear that you love me, too. Baby, I'm over the moon," he shook his head before moving in for another kiss. Something he couldn't ever seem to get enough of was the way Louis tasted.

The music played on throughout their make out session as Josh would call it, the rest of the world seeming to mind it's own business for once as the pair held onto each other as if the other would disappear if they let go. It would never happen, but just knowing that their feelings were mutual made every moment together so incredibly precious.

"Harry," Louis mumbled against the greaser's lips that moved so perfectly against his own, it was like they were made for him.

"What, baby?" Harry hummed curiously, moving to pepper kisses along his baby's jawline.

"Take me," Louis said, a fire in his eyes that had Harry pausing.  
His bitten lips parted because he wasn't sure if Louis had actually said that as he pulled back.  
"Take me back to the room, Harry. Show me what I've been missing out on. Take me," Louis rushed out so quickly, it sounded more like begging than demanding. Louis was shivering with anticipation.

**\---**

There's nothing very soft or gentle about the way they kiss once they've returned to their hotel room. By then it was nearly midnight, the moon was at it's highest point in the sky with the companionship of the stars, and Louis was tugging at Harry's curls.

Their door was locked and since Harry put up the 'do not disturb' sign, they would have no interruptions for the rest of the night. Harry's hard against Louis' thigh, he can feel the heat seeping through his jeans. They were tight as all hell, but that didn't stop Harry's hands from moving down to unzip them. Once given a decent amount of room, Harry carefully slid his hand between Louis' boxers and his zipper, feeling him whimper against his lips.

"Harry," he breathed between deep kisses. "Please."

"Mm, you want it?" Harry smirked, seemingly unable to get enough of Louis' lips and tongue. Louis was sure he'd never be able to get over that tongue ring.

"Want it. You. Need you," Louis squeaked at the feeling of the padding of Harry's thumb toying with the head of his cock.

"Sure you're ready for me?" he asked then, not meaning to sound like an egotistical ass.

"Worried you're too big?"

Harry shook his head, "didn't mean it that way."

"So you're admitting you're small?" Louis teased breathlessly, but it sounded more like a statement than an actual question.

Harry rolled his eyes, "I meant that I don't want to hurt you," he clarified.   
"You're still sort of new to this kind of thing.. you don't want to wait a little?"

"I mean, I'm not _completely_ clueless but.. do _you_ want to wait a little?" Louis asked then, chewing his lip and feeling his confidence drop a bit.

Harry shook his head, removing his hand from Louis' pants, "of course not, baby, but I don't want you doing this just for me.. because you think you have to. 'Cause you don't, Lou. If you want to wait, we can."

Louis was quiet for a moment, not because he was thinking it over but because Harry continued to find new ways to amaze him.

"You'll always take care of me, right?"

"Of course," Harry answered without hesitation, making Louis' heart swoon between his lungs.

"And I trust you to," Louis said, linking his fingers with Harry's. "So take care of me through this like I know you will."

Harry was quiet for a bit as if he was still deciding the consequences.

Louis tilted his chin up slightly so he could look into Harry's forest eyes. "I want this," he said, leaning up to kiss and nip at his jawline.   
"I love you," Louis hummed, eliciting a quiet groan from Harry's lips as he left the tiniest of bruises beneath his ear. He tugged at Harry's hand with both of his own, leading him to the edge of the bed and saying, "come."

"On what?" Harry teased, bouncing his brow at his shorter partner.

"Be quiet," Louis laughed as he lifted Harry's shirt from his torso and tossed it aside carelessly, doing the same for his jeans before watching Harry move to sit atop the wide table beside the bed.

Louis straddled his thighs, his hands roaming his boyfriend's bare, tattooed chest as if he was making sure that he was real. Harry had other plans it seemed as he traced his fingertips up and down Louis' sides.

Harry moved up to cup Louis' face as the boy gripped into his shoulders tightly.   
"Love your hands," he commented, turning his head slightly to kiss at Harry's palms. Harry's thumb swiped lightly over his bottom lip, his green eyes watching the way the tip of Louis' tongue brushed over the pad of it.

Louis let Harry slip his thumb past his lips, his tongue and lips sucking lightly at the digit. Harry's teeth raked over his bottom lip at the sight.   
"Jesus.." Harry whispered, making Louis smile as he pulled back, moving his boyfriend's hand in order to tongue at his other fingers.

Soon enough Louis was suckling at Harry's index and middle fingers and his big blue eyes locked onto Harry's.

As soon as he removed his fingers, Louis was burying his face in Harry's neck, pressing the tiniest of kisses here and there because he loved the noises Harry made. A deep hum emitted from the older boy's mouth as his hands slipped down Louis' sides and beneath the waistband of his boxers.

His hands kneaded and squeezed at Louis' cheeks, feeling his teeth and tongue against his neck, sure to leave tiny marks.

"You can touch," Louis whispered, sitting up slightly to pepper kisses over the expanse of Harry's throat.

"Can I?" Harry gave Louis another squeeze, tilting his head back and letting him kiss wherever he wanted. After all, he was Louis'.

"Please?" Louis whispered then, a bit breathlessly when he felt Harry's wet fingertips brushing over his hole. He did as asked, pressing his middle finger inside all the way to the knuckle. Louis shivered slightly, but didn't falter. He still wanted everything Harry had to offer, and if that made him greedy, then so be it.

One was fine, two was a stretch, and three had Louis whimpering and practically purring. 

"Sound so beautiful."

Louis moaned as if on cue at a particularly deep press of Harry's fingers.   
"I-I'm ready," Louis told him, pushing back against Harry's hand.   
"I'm ready," he said, more steadily, and Harry was still trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever would come next.

"Sure?" Harry tested, slowly removing his fingers from Louis' body. He let out a shaky breath, adjusting to the feeling of being empty.

He nodded and moved to stand from Harry's lap. His legs shook slightly from both adrenaline and anticipation, but he still managed to make it to the foot of the bed.   
Louis crawled up to the middle of the mattress, flopping down onto his front and gripping at the sheets as a sort of tether to reality. He peeked his eyes open when he felt the mattress dip to support Harry's weight as well as his own.

Harry's arms were to either side of him, holding himself up as he kissed and nipped over Louis' shoulder. He giggled quietly, feeling the outline of Harry's clothed cock pressing against his thigh. Though he'd much rather have it somewhere else.

Harry's arms slipped around Louis' waist, holding him tightly as if he'd leave. 

"You have no idea.." the older one whispered, "..how happy I am right now."

Louis' heart was pounding in his chest, Harry's curls tickling his skin.

"Wanna hold you," Harry smiled as he kissed a trail down Louis' spine, "kiss you," he added once he got to the dimples in Louis' back, "taste you," he smirked, carefully easing Louis' jeans down and off. His boxers followed suit, falling carelessly onto the carpet beside the bed.

"That all?" Louis teased, trying not to think too much about the fact that he was completely exposed and ready for Harry.

"I'm sure there's something else," Harry joked, carefully moving to turn Louis onto his back. The blue eyed boy gazed up at green eyes above him.   
"Never have been able to get enough of you," he mumbled as his hands separated Louis' legs, his knees in the air with his feet flat on the sheets.

"I'm yours," Louis replied, swallowing thickly as Harry traced his fingertips along the insides of his thighs. "All of me."

"Yours," Harry whispered, dipping down to spoil Louis with his lips, little marks being bitten into his skin, along with Harry's fingertips that squeezed Louis' thighs affectionately.   
"Look at you," he shook his head in pleasant disbelief.

Louis could feel his heartbeat in his toes that curled when Harry's tongue brushed Louis' stretched hole. He reached his hands down to tangle into his curls, tugging lightly.   
"Mine," he moaned, his legs shaking slightly for many reasons but the main one being the way Harry's tongue worked against him.

Harry's hands tightened their grip on his legs, keeping them spread and grounded. Louis wanted to swoon, tossing his head back against the pillows.   
"Harry--" Louis breathed, letting his curls slip from his fingers.

"Mm?" Harry hummed as a response, pressing his tongue inside of him one final time before pulling back.

"If you don't get inside me right now, I'll implode," Louis said, sitting up to catch Harry's mouth in a deep kiss. He slowly pulled the older boy down with him, his fingers playing with the hair at his nape.

"Bit dramatic," Harry teased between their heated exchanges.

"I'll show you dramatic, hood," Louis laughed, the bubbly sound echoing slightly.

Harry laughed as well, his forearms resting on the mattress to either side of Louis' head. Their noses brushed lightly, Harry's curls framing his face whereas Louis' fringe was starting to stick to his forehead in a nervous sweat. He was still shaking, despite how comfortable he was with his greaser. The anticipation was getting to him.

"Please, Harry," Louis whispered then, their lips ghosting together. "I'm ready."

"But.. what if I hurt you?" Harry asked then, his smirk washing away into a worried lip bite.

"You won't."

"But if I _do_?"

"I can take it, baby," Louis promised, his thighs pressing at Harry's hips. "I want this, so bad. Want _you_."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded, "I don't have anything on me.."

"Neither do I.." Louis pursed his lips, hoping that their lack of protection wouldn't be the deal breaker of the situation. It wasn't like either of them could end up pregnant but he did appreciate Harry's precaution. It told him that Harry actually cared about doing this right.

"I mean, I'm clean but I can.. I can go buy some," Harry offered despite the fact that he really didn't want to leave Louis' side.

Louis shook his head, "doesn't matter. We'll worry about it next time," he said, tugging Harry back down for another breath taking kiss.

"There will be a next time?" Harry asked then, smiling against the corner of Louis' mouth.

"God, I hope so," Louis answered as Harry reached to push his boxers down his thighs and eventually toss them to the side. As Harry kissed up the length of Louis' torso, Louis' nails gripped into the ink marked skin of Harry's shoulder blades, slowly dragging down to his v-line. "C'mon, baby," Louis begged, his hand wrapping loosely around Harry's cock, coaxing a few beads of precome from the slit. He spread it wherever he could manage with his thumb, earning a tiny bite to the collarbone.

"I'm gonna go slow," Harry told him, his pupils as blown out and shiny as Louis'.   
"Stop me if you need to, okay?" he whispered, pecking Louis' lips once, then twice, before standing up.

He carefully pulled Louis to the very edge of the mattress, his hands on Louis' thighs, just admiring the way he looked, all spread out and ready for him.   
Harry bent his knees slightly to meet Louis' hips at the right angle. He gripped himself and moved to line up with Louis' hole. He blew out a quick little breath, his heart beating against his rib cage as he carefully pressed inside, his tip pushing past the rim, making him pause for a moment.

Harry's eyes flicked up to meet Louis', his hands gripping the sheets to either side of himself with his head tossed back against the mattress. Louis didn't make any effort to stop him, so he caught his breath and carefully inched inside. Louis' face contorted slightly in pain, but he encouraged Harry to keep going.

"I'm okay, I p-promise," Louis nodded, feeling his walls tightening instinctively around Harry's girth.

Finally bottomed out, Harry let out a shaky breath, "shit."

Louis reached up to hold onto Harry's hands that gripped his thighs.   
"Harry," he said, bringing the boy back down to Earth. "M-Move-"

Harry's eyes focused on Louis' as he slowly pulled his hips back, feeling the drag of Louis around him. He winced when Harry pushed back in again, but it wasn't as bad as he was expecting. Louis guessed maybe it was because he was stretched beforehand. Either way, he was in it for the long haul. He was ready. He was sure of it.

Harry repeatedly pulled back and pushed forward at a steady pace, letting Louis' body adjust to his own. With each slow thrust he could see Louis' features softening from pain to pleasure.

"Fuck--Harry--" Louis gasped, holding his arms up and making grabby hands at the boy.

Harry grinned fondly, leaning over Louis again. His grabby hands moved to grip into Harry's shoulders, the nails leaving tiny indentations in the skin.   
"So beautiful," he whispered, his arms to either side of Louis' head once again.

"Ahh--love you," Louis whined, his lips parted and bitten. "Love you, love you, love you--" he chanted like a mantra, pulling Harry down to him by the neck. Their lips brushed hesitantly at first, both still a bit caught up in the moment. Louis suckled lightly at Harry's bottom lip, earning a low moan from him. The sound had Louis' head spinning.

"Love you, baby boy," Harry whispered against his mouth, both mirroring the same smile. The pace of his thrusts was steady and gentle, not wanting to risk hurting his boy. "Never gonna stop--"

"Good," Louis squeaked, his legs wrapping around Harry's waist. "Wanted this.. for so long.."

"What ever happened to--" Harry groaned, "--waiting for marriage?"

"That was m-my parents' thing. Th-They wanted me to w-wait, but--" Louis' moan echoed around them, "couldn't wait for you. Had to have you."

"That's pretty daring of you," Harry joked, panting quietly as he listened to Louis' scoff.

"I think I'll be okay," he grinned, holding onto Harry's shoulder blades and slowly clawing at his ribs, feeling each bit of muscle flexing and stretching under his touch. "God.. Think you can make me come like this?"

"Is that a challenge?" Harry panted, stopping his hips in order to slowly grind into the boy.

A high moan seemed to escape from Louis' throat, Harry's cock pressing right up against that sweet spot.

"Because if so.." Harry started, leaning down to kiss along Louis' throat, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly, "challenge accepted."

From there, Louis could do nothing but hold onto Harry tight as he pounded into him. Each thrust of Harry's hips had Louis crying out, his nails dragging on his skin so hard, they left raised, red lines in their path.

"Like that, baby?" Harry asked, a seemingly innocent smile on his lips as he drove into his boy again and again. Louis nodded pliantly, mewling and whimpering beneath him.   
"Look at you.. my pretty boy," Harry panted, every little noise Louis made was music to his ears.

"Harry--" Louis gaped when he felt Harry's strong arms wrapping around his body. He felt so safe and warm and Harry was going so deep, he swore he saw stars.

"I've got you," Harry whispered, holding Louis tight despite the boys hands moving to pull at his hair. "C'mon, baby, come for me," he mumbled in this voice that had Louis' entire body going slack.

His arms fell to the sides, he tossed his head back, and he literally saw stars as Harry pressed into him so deeply, it had Louis coming on the spot. His legs shook against Harry's hips, his fingers gripped into the sheets and the loveliest sounds left his lips.

Harry slowly, but deeply fucked him through it, Louis' body like putty in his hands. Louis' tightened around Harry's cock, making him pause. He pulled out and spilled onto the sheets between Louis' legs, a choked groan slipping from his throat.

Louis panted, watching as Harry rolled over to lay beside him. They just stared at each other for a bit, a smile playing on Louis' lips that Harry mirrored. He rolled onto his forearm in order to lean down and kiss Louis' pliant mouth.   
"I love you," he whispered, thumbing over Louis' cheekbone.

"I love you," Louis replied shakily, turning over to rest on his side. Harry followed suit and pulled the boy to his chest, kissing his shoulder and neck despite the sweat.

They slept without the blankets, already warm enough from the Nevada heat and their post-coital bliss.

Louis woke up alone however and at first, that sort of terrified him, until he saw a little paper beside him on the bed, addressed: '_Lou x_'.

_It's sweet where you lay. There's still a trace of innocence on the pillowcase._

_Your taste is on my tongue. I don't want to wash away the night before._

_In the heat where you lay, I could stay right here and burn in it all day._

_I've lost my senses. I'm completely and utterly defenseless. You're sweet, yet sour. My heart's been devoured. When i'm lying here, I count the hours._

_Waking up beside you, I'm a loaded gun. I can't contain this anymore. I'm all yours, I've got no control._

_I'm powerless, but I don't care if it's obvious. I just can't get enough of you._

_The pedal's down, my eyes are closed._

_No control._

**\---**

Needless to say, Louis kept the note for himself, folding it up and sticking it in his pocket once he was showered and dressed again.

When he returned to the room, Harry was there with food, damp hair, and a massive smile. "Ready to go?" he asked around a mouthful of pancake.

"It's a wonder I let you have sex with me," Louis laughed as he ran over and pounced onto the greaser.

"Oh, just admit you think I'm sexy," Harry teased, "pancake?"

Louis rolled his eyes, the events from the night before playing over in his mind as he sat and ate hotel pancakes with his boyfriend, of whom he had just given his virginity to. And everything seemed to have fallen into place.

The universe was finally on his side again.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis & Perrie make a cigarette run.

"_Nobody knows what the future holds and it's bad enough just getting old. Live my life in self-defense, you know I love the past, 'cause I hate suspense_."

**-Diane Young by, Vampire Weekend**

**\---**

The trip back home from Nevada wasn't too exciting, aside from the times when they'd just banter about things that wouldn't make sense to other people. Conversations never went stale between the two of them. Because while they knew each other well, they still had quite a lot to learn about one another.

Throughout the trip, they'd ask those stupid questions that people ask as 'ice breakers', like favorite color or favorite food, and then end up on an entirely different tangent a few minutes later. But the smiles never left their faces and the enthusiasm never left either.

Their hands would get sweaty from where they were holding each other's in the center of the front seat, but neither minded. Louis was so happy, the car could've broken down and he would still be smiling. Harry had never seen him smile so much, but when he did, it was like the sun had come out of hiding from behind the rain clouds.

The first few days of being home, they couldn't be separated even if they wanted to be. The pet names were aplenty as well as the 'I love you's and none of it went unnoticed by the gang.

But the following Monday, when Harry & Josh & Matty had to get back to work, Louis could feel his heartstrings tugging sadly. He didn't want Harry to leave, but he would make the best of it every time.

Sky would usually keep him company, even if they didn't always know what to talk about or what to do. Most of the time Louis would just curl up in bed and try to sleep, but usually he was way too excited for that to work. Then he'd just huff and literally count the minutes until Harry would be home. Some people would find that a little excessive, but Louis didn't know of any other way to be. If he only knew that Harry was doing the same thing at the shop, only he would legitimately watch the clock in the corner every five seconds as if the longer needle would somehow move faster the more he looked at it.

Josh would tease him, telling him that if he looked at the clock one more time, he'd take it off the wall. But Harry would just sigh and try to get back to work.

That Friday was when Sky was meant to take a trip to restock everyone's cigarettes but she couldn't. She had somewhere to be that day and she couldn't miss it.

Louis offered to go instead, because if he was honest, he didn't have anything better to do. As it happens, just as Louis left the home, Perrie was walking up the lawn.

"Hey, babes," she greeted him with that sweet smile of hers, "where're you off to?"

"Gotta get cigarettes," he replied simply, pursing his lips. She raised her brows in slight confusion, as if wondering when he began smoking. "Oh no, no, no. Not for me. For the house, you know? The guys."

"Oh," Perrie nodded in understanding, then gave another questioning look as she asked, "I thought Sky always did that?"

"She's gone somewhere.. said it was important, so I offered to fill in," Lou shrugged, "wanna come with?"

"Alright," she shrugged, even if she no longer smoked cigarettes, she figured she came all this way so she might as well tag along and keep him company.

The two walked quietly down the street, kicking rocks and watching the clouds that were rolling in from the coast. 

"Think it'll rain?" Perrie asked as the blue of the sky was slowly but surely enveloped in grey.

Louis shrugged, "maybe. It's gonna start getting colder soon as well," he pointed out as they were heading towards autumn.

"Cannot wait, if I'm honest," she smiled, pure bliss written all over her face. "I love the colder months."

"Really? Why?" Louis raised a brow, "everything gets so depressing and dark and cold."

Perrie shook her head, "it's the best time of year, I'm telling you. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.." she sighed happily, "isn't it just the most?"

"Eh.. I've never really been too big on Christmas," Louis shrugged simply, causing Perrie to gape at him. How could anyone just 'not be too big on Christmas'??   
Louis caught the look she was giving him and provided somewhat of an explanation, "my birthday is literally Christmas Eve and it sucks. It's like my birthday doesn't even exist. Like it's just Christmas and nothing more."

"How do you mean?"

Louis shrugged again, "I don't really know how to explain it. Because it's basically on the same day as a big holiday, my birthday is sort of just cast aside and everyone wishes me a Merry Christmas, but I rarely hear a 'happy birthday' afterwards. My birthday just sort of gets dissolved and taken over by it."

Perrie pursed her lips at that, hoping that her next question wouldn't spark any unwanted memories or feelings, "didn't your family ever celebrate your birthday separately? Like your birthday on the 24th and then Christmas on the 25th?"

"I mean.. yeah, they celebrated it as well but it was always sort of.. rushed? Like they couldn't wait to just get my birthday over with so they could go straight on to Christmas," Louis chuckled at his own expense and Perrie apologized, but he brushed it off. It wasn't too big of a deal, though Perrie could tell it still somewhat bothered him.

"Okay, so this year we'll do it a bit different," Perrie nodded in determination. Louis raised his brows questioningly, so she elaborated, "the 24th will be reserved only for you and your birthday. We'll go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do and nobody will mention the 'C' word. If they do, they're officially kicked out of your birthday celebration."

"The 'C' word?"

"Christmas. No one will say that dreadful word until the 25th."

Louis laughed at that, not quite sure if she was being serious, but if she was, he felt like he had the best friends in the world.   
"Okay. That'd be great," he nodded, smiling when Perrie wrapped her arm around his shoulders. He felt it a little odd that he was somehow shorter than her, but he let it go.

"So when are you gonna tell me about that little trip you and H took?" Perrie bounced her brows suggestively.

Louis' face lit up at that, which assured her that everything went well. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you asked Matty, Sky, or Josh) Perrie hadn't been over to the house since the pair returned from said trip, so she had yet to see the heap of puppy love and affection that was Harry & Louis.

Louis sighed happily, a light flush to his cheeks as he confessed, "he took me to a show in Vegas.."

Perrie gaped in pleasant surprise, "are you serious?" she asked, to which Louis nodded and she tried her best not to squeal too obnoxiously.   
"That's amazing, Lou! Who'd you see? Bill Haley? Or The Diamonds? The Cadillacs?" she guessed, her excitement only growing with each time Louis shook his head.   
"Oh, come on! Spit it out, then. I'm dying here."

"Elvis Presley," Louis replied simply and Perrie stopped dead in her tracks. Louis turned back to look at her.

"You're lying."

Louis laughed softly, shaking his head, "I'm not. I still have the ticket stub at home."

"I thought he didn't like Elvis?" she asked as she started walking again, Louis following suit.

"I thought so, too, and then he started singing out the lyrics like he'd known them for years," he told her. He sort of felt like he was bragging by continuing, but she was the one who asked, so he didn't feel too bad about it.

"You wouldn't believe it, Perrie. He drove me over and made it such a big surprise that I didn't even know what was happening until we were right there! He took care of all the little details and with the music and all the little vibes, I guess it was jacking my head, you know?" Louis looked over at Perrie as he gave this weak explanation. He sighed with a dopey grin on his face. "I told him that I loved him."

Perrie's face lit up with excitement for her friend and she didn't really mind admitting that she literally bounced on her heels as well, "I've been waiting for the day when you'd finally buck up the courage!" she cheered, pulling Louis closer by his shoulder and pressing a little kiss to the softness of his cheek.   
"And that was it? Little music, some dancing, some confessions of hopeless devotion.." she listed off the romantic evening, though she would probably never be prepared for the next thing he would tell her.

Louis' face warmed up and he avoided eye contact.   
"Well yeah," he said slowly, racking his brain for some sort of euphemism he could use to tell Perrie what happened.   
"Oh my goodness," he laughed to himself, covering his face in pure embarrassment.   
"We left the show early to... celebrate," he said slowly. He finally gained the courage to look Perrie in the eyes, pleading that she understood just from that.

Perrie tilted her head slightly, "like you drank or something?" she asked, genuinely thinking that was what he meant. She would've never guessed that Louis would've given Harry something as big as his virginity. Especially after El had gone around telling anyone who'd listen that they were saving themselves for marriage.

Louis shook his head, laughing. He knew it was silly for him to feel so unable to talk about it, but it had always been such a taboo thing in his life.   
"No, not really, something even better." 

Louis felt his throat tighten and he bit his lip in anticipation as Perrie watched him in anticipation.   
"We had a roll in the hay. Took a tumble. Thumped thighs. Checked the oil. Bumped uglies.. get it?"

Perrie gaped once more, her jaw literally hanging open, "you did not," she shook her head in amazement.   
"Look at you!" she cooed, "growing up so fast," she smiled as they reached the corner store. Louis held the door open for her, letting her pass through the chiming door before following her in.

Perrie lead the way back to the cigarettes and grabbed a few cartons of everybody's preference; Marlboros for Josh & Sky and Lucky Strikes for Matty. She found herself instinctively reaching for a pack of Paul Malls when she remembered that Zayn didn't come around anymore. Then she took into consideration just how long it had been since _she_ was the one doing a cigarette run instead of Sky.

Nonetheless, she turned back to Louis with a smile and led him over to the refrigerators that shelved bottles of soda. 

"Hope you don't find me too weird for asking, but.. how was it?" she asked curiously, because she'd heard quite a few stories about Harry in bed and she wanted to make sure that it wasn't just a quick, worthless shag in a broom closet. She highly doubted that was the case, what with the way Harry treated Louis like a prince, but she could never be too careful.

Louis' heart raced every time he thought back to that night, but it beat more so now that he was telling Perrie. "It was amazing, absolutely perfect. It wasn't rushed and he made sure we were always on the same page and that he wasn't being too much. I've never felt so cared for in my life, you know? I can only hope I was as good to him."

Louis meant all of this, of course. It was a time where he was absolutely vulnerable and all of his flaws were there for Harry to critique in a way Eleanor would have without a doubt. Except Harry didn't. Harry saw all of him, inside and out, and still told him he loved him enough to where Louis believed him.   
"I couldn't ask for any better."

Perrie's proud smile grew with his explanation as she reached into one of the clear doors to snag two bottles of Coca-Cola. She handed one to Louis, then they moved on to pay for everything.

Once outside again, Perrie popped the cap of her glass Coke bottle on the edge of a bench outside and took a sip whilst Louis used the bench for the same reason. Then it was time for Louis to do the interrogating.

Louis took a swig from his bottle of coke before clearing his throat.   
"I saw you reach for Zayn's pack of Malls," he said hesitantly, not sure if he and Perrie were close enough to talk about her and Zayn. "Not to be nosy, but I feel like no one ever really talked to you about it and asked how you're holding up."

Perrie pursed her lips at the sound of Zayn's name, but let him continue. She was fine with it, but she was sure it would always hurt somewhat.   
"You're fine," she shook her head reassuringly before taking a sip from her own bottle, "and aside from the time I stayed at Matty's, no one's really asked. Not that I really care.. I mean, it's not too big of a deal.." she said, the bag crinkling slightly as they walked.

"I'm just sort of used to including him so it's weird to think that I don't have to anymore.." she shrugged.   
"I'm okay, though," she nodded in appreciation. She liked that Louis thought of her and her feelings. "Josh helps."

"Yeah?" Louis smiled supportively. "That's good."

"Yeah," she nodded again, "he doesn't seem the type, but he's.. he's real sweet."

"Sweeter than Zayn?" Louis asked, then quickly shook his head once the question slipped, "sorry, that was insensitive."

Perrie shrugged it off, "it's alright.. and yes."

"Yes?"

"He's sweeter than Zayn. Almost anything is at this point," she chuckled bitterly. "Can we change the subject?"

"Yeah, yeah," Louis nodded quickly, thinking on his feet as he drummed his fingers against the bottle, "um, how'd everyone end up at Matty's place?" he asked out of nowhere because he always had been curious.

"Long story," Perrie sighed into a laugh.

"Simplified?" Louis asked then before taking a final sip of his Coke and discarding the empty bottle in a trash can on the way.

"Okay, so basically Matty & Sky have been together since their high school days.. even though they spent most of that time skipping to smoke," she explained as they finally made it back to the house in question.   
"Anyways, once they miraculously graduated, they both pitched in to buy the place. Previous owner died of old age or something like that and it had been on the market for ages and nobody wanted it, so they got a pretty good deal. They met Josh through Harry. Those two have been working at _Ralph's_ for as long as I've known them."

"_Ralph's_?"

"The auto shop," Perrie explained as she let them inside of the house, "you should swing by one of these days when H is working. The two of them make real hot grease monkeys."

Louis subconsciously bit his lip at the thought of Harry all hot & sweaty, hands covered in grease, muscles lifting and pushing and pulling and--

"Yeah, I'll definitely have to do that some time," he nodded, pulling lightly at the hem of his t shirt as he moved to sit down on the couch. He had known of Harry's job but hadn't thought of going in to visit him before. Added to the list. 

"Please, continue, though."

"Things got tough at Harry's and he spent most of his time here anyways, so eventually he just stopped going home," Perrie shrugged as she set the bag down in the kitchen, hoping her words were vague enough to not cause Louis to ask any questions.

She wasn't sure if Louis knew what all went down at Harry's family's place, but it wasn't her place to say anything regardless.   
"There've been a few times when Josh has lived here. A couple days or weeks at a time, but he always ended up at his parents' place until he got his own."

Louis nodded along with the story, really trying his best to stop thinking about a greasy, muscly Harry.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets a car.

"_Sweet like candy, but he's such a man. He knows just what it does when he's holding me tight and he calls me 'moonlight', too_."

**-Moonlight by, Ariana Grande**

**\---**

It had been a slow few weeks in the greasers' abode. Every day seemed to go by the same way, especially for Harry. Lately it had been all work and no play when it came to the auto shop. His boss had been calling him in to work extra hours with no added pay and it was starting to take a toll on him.

He came home exhausted every night and woke up bright and early every morning just to be worked to death all over again. He had bags under his eyes most days and sometimes he would be so tired, he'd fall asleep with his work clothes on. Boots included.

Louis had grown used to it. Not that he minded all that much in the first place. He had come to terms with the fact that Harry's job was unsanitary and exhausting around the time he first moved in. But that didn't mean that he stopped caring about Harry's well-being. He didn't like the purples and blues under the green of Harry's eyes and he didn't like how the sound of Harry yawning had become a sad sound rather than an endearing one.

He'd take off Harry's boots for him at least, and the button up with his name stitched on the front, if it wasn't too difficult.

Harry really did try to stay up for a few minutes at least so he and Louis could catch up on each others' day or what have you. But most of the time, he would end up draped over Louis' chest, snoring quietly into his neck. To which Louis would play with his dirty hair and pepper kisses wherever he could until he'd eventually doze off as well.

On a day when Louis had planned to visit his boyfriend at work, hoping to help make his day a little less troubling, Harry had beat him to that chance.

Louis had brushed his hair and checked his teeth in the mirror as the last steps of his grooming routine and he passed through the living area with an excited aura about himself. He waved to Perrie who was painting her nails on the couch, earning a little wave back. Or maybe she was just waving her hands to dry the paint. Either way he earned some sort of wave from her.

He hadn't been out of the house for a bit, not counting the times he and Perrie had conversed on the front porch steps in the middle of the night with a bottle of beer in their hands.

When he couldn't sleep and Perrie happened to be around the house, the two would talk about everything and nothing all at once. Nonsense mixing with clarity and detail in a way that wouldn't make sense to other people. Louis was grateful for her because with Matty & Harry's busy schedules and Sky hiding out in her bedroom a majority of the time, he found himself alone during the day and restless during the night.

He discovered that staying cooped up in the house didn't allow him to burn much energy.

Putting those thoughts aside, Louis let himself out of the house, en route to the stop for the street car, when he was caught quite off guard by the sight of an old, rusty car pulling into Matty & Sky's gravelly driveway. The engine was obnoxiously loud and one of the back windows had duct tape as a replacement for the glass that had been removed somehow.

It was a piece of shit, as Josh would say. And he did.

"This car is a piece of shit," Josh laughed as he was the first being to emerge from within the car. With the way the side windows were covered in dust and who knows what else, it was hard to see how many people were actually inside.

The windshield was covered in the same sort of muck, only most of it had been lazily scraped away by what Louis assumed to be an ice scraper.

Harry was the next to emerge from the car, only from the driver's side this time around.   
"Oh, shut it. At least I actually _have _a car."

Josh rolled his eyes at that comment, waving a friendly hello to Louis as he walked up to the door of the house to let himself inside. Louis glanced back at the window, watching Josh and Perrie engage in a tight hug, to which he hummed in content at the sight of his friend's bright smile.

"Hey," a warm voice sounded from in front of him, to which Louis turned his focus back to his boyfriend. He was much closer then, but not close enough for any passersby to think anything more than platonic of it.

"Hey," Louis replied with a breathless smile, slightly overwhelmed by Harry's sudden presence, but in a good way. They both stared for a moment, their eyes saying more than their mouths ever could.

Before another moment could pass, Louis asked, "what's this about?" pointing towards the hunk of metal that sat behind Harry in the driveway. Harry had turned to look back at the car in question, sighing.

"It's mine," he told Louis with somewhat of a smile as he walked back towards it, just to turn and lean against the trunk of it. His legs crossed at his ankles as he stood, both hands moving to keep himself propped up, or maybe just to occupy them.

If they weren't touching Louis somehow or fixing up a car or doing something he found productive, he didn't know what to do with his hands.

Louis raised a brow and took a few steps closer to him, "how'd that happen?"

He had this wary look in his eye, almost as if he was telling Harry he hoped it wasn't stolen.

"Boss said he wanted to reward me and Josh for all our hard work," Harry shrugged as he explained, as if he were also surprised and confused as to how it had happened.   
"So he told us we could sell it and use the money for something better, but I sort of like how it looks like this," he smiled as he glanced back at the rust bucket he was propped against.

"Josh was quick to call it every name in the book, plus he has his motorcycle, so he 'let me' have it," he air quoted the words to express his indifference.

Louis pursed his lips and nodded in understanding, walking a circle around the vehicle as if assessing it.   
"I mean, if it works, that's all that really matters," he shrugged once he had returned to his spot in front of his older counterpart. "Gets you from point A to point B?"

Harry nodded.

"Signals work?"

Another nod.

"Tabs up to date?"

A third nod.

"Then I say it's alright," Louis told him. "I mean, it probably doesn't seem like it but it could be worse. Could be a _lot_ worse."

Harry smiled at Louis' optimism, appreciating it much more than Josh's distasteful comments. "No more street car for us," he added.

"That's definitely an upside," Louis nodded with a sweet smile.

"I also have the weekend off," Harry said, gently pushing himself away from the car in order to stand in front of his caramel-haired baby. Louis had to resist the urge to reach out and caress his cheek.

"Does that mean we can actually do something together?" Louis asked, only sighing a little bit, and Harry gave a sympathetic nod, sighing softly.

"God, I hope so," he replied, the affection in his voice and eyes practically pouring out like a waterfall. Louis being the lake below, drowning happily in it.  
"You busy right now? You're all dressed up."

Louis shook himself from his thoughts, "what? Oh, no. I was actually planning to surprise you at work, but you beat me to it," he smiled bashfully.

"Aw," the right side of Harry's mouth lifted into a smirk, "why for?"

Louis shrugged modestly, "you've had a rough couple of weeks and I thought I would try and cheer you up."

Harry reached to take Louis' hand and he could sense the hesitation radiating off of the smaller boy, but even so, Louis let him hook his larger pinky around his. He was suddenly brought back to the day at the drive in; the day of the rumble. Louis was still a little shook up about the whole ordeal, but now, with his little finger linked with Harry's, he felt himself remembering that day with happiness. Nostalgia. Even if it really wasn't all that long ago.

"Baby, you're golden," Harry told him, a soft dimpled grin decorating his face despite his naturally sharper features. Louis swore his jawline could cut glass. And those cheekbones.. Louis could kiss those all day, any day.

**\---**

When it came down to Harry & Louis driving around together, it was quite often that they wouldn't even have a set destination.

"Let's drive," Harry had whispered into Louis' ear, his husky voice making him shiver.

With that, the two piled into the front seat and took off. Where to? Nobody knew. But that was okay. Louis found himself thinking if they wound up lost forever, he would be perfectly fine with it as long as Harry was by his side. Harry found himself thinking the same thing.

Their lack of destination lead them through many intersections and neighborhoods around town.

By the time one of them (Harry) actually decided on a destination, the sky was onyx in color and speckled with stars that shined so brightly, Louis could barely tear his eyes away.

He put down his window, rested his arm on the door, and laid the side of his head on his bicep. His eyes glanced dreamily up at the stars, the last licks of the warm summer air whipped through his feathery hair, and brought a fresh breath into his lungs every time he inhaled.

Harry would glance over at him, wishing he had some sort of camera with him so he could capture the beautiful moment forever, but alas the only means by which to capture said memory, was his eyes and brain.

He kept a firm hand on the steering wheel, eyeing the road more often than Louis of course, and reached his right arm out to place his hand on Louis' thigh that rested closest to him on the rough leather seat.

Louis' attention was diverted to the long fingers that gripped into his jean-clad flesh. The lights of the stars and the street lamps illuminated Louis' figure in the darkness, his features soft and kissed blue by the moonlight. His eyes were barely visible in this lighting, but Harry knew they were on him. He could feel Louis' stare practically burning a hole into the side of his skull.

After a few silent moments, Louis reached down to take Harry's fingers in his own, linking them together and kissing the back of his boyfriend's hand, earning an affectionate smile from the older boy as he drove.

The road became a bit more turbulent than either of them expected, as they ascended a hill that lead who knows where. Louis wasn't focusing too much on that, but mainly on the way Harry's hand dwarfed his own, and the way the silver and gold of his rings reflected the moon's light.

Harry's smile becomes more fond when he feels Louis playing with the metal around his fingers, and then the tips of them are warm and wet. It's an unexpected feeling, Louis can tell by the way Harry's body tenses for a fraction of a second. But he doesn't pull his hand away or tear his eyes from the road.

Even if he had, all he could see was Louis' silhouette laced in blue and star matter. But his lips and his tongue enveloped his two middle fingers with ease, suckling lightly for no apparent reason other than to fluster the driver beside him.

"I missed you," Louis' voice breaks the silence over the sound of the engine. His voice is much softer and more inviting than the likes of the car and it makes Harry's body flare up with goosebumps.   
"You're always gone," he says in that same little tone.

"But I'm here now," Harry swallowed thickly as he felt Louis' lips pressing against his palm. He made a turn onto some more gravel and eventually slowed to a halt. There were trees and bushes all around them, guarding them from the rest of the world as Harry shifted to park and eventually remove the keys from the ignition.

"Good," Louis replied once the engine was killed and he looked up at the view before them. It wasn't much at first glance considering wherever they were, there were massive billboard-like signs blocking the scenery of L.A.

That was until Louis took a better look and realized where they were; right behind the Hollywood sign.

Harry could see Louis better now, what with the lights that illuminated the giant white letters at night.

Louis' skin was painted a caramel color, shadows spread across his being in random shapes, accentuating each curve and edge of his features. Harry reached out to cup Louis' cheek.   
"I missed you, too," he replied finally, feeling Louis' cheeks stretch to accommodate his large smile. The kind that made his eyes crinkle. The best kind.

They scooted closer to each other, meeting in the middle of the front seat and just staring for a moment, their foreheads meeting as they slowly broke each other's personal bubbles and met for a soft kiss. Their lips slow and meshing together perfectly.

"Did you mean to take me here?" Louis mumbled against the older boy's mouth curiously.

"Not at first," Harry replied to that, peppering a few little kisses to the corner of Louis' lips, "but it's kinda romantic, isn't it?" he chuckled, the bubbly sound drawing Louis in.

"You can make anywhere feel romantic," Louis told him, his eyes flicking up to meet Harry's, the green reflecting the sign's lights.

"You bring it out in me. I've become such a sap since you became my boy," the greaser said, the pad of his thumb pressing at Louis' pink bottom lip.

"Love being your boy," Louis breathed out involuntarily. It slipped, he swears!

Not that it wasn't true.

"I can't tell you how much I've missed you," Louis added, a bit desperately as he shifted to crawl into Harry's lap. He straddled the older boy's waist as he lay backwards against the seat, staring up at the shadowed boy above him.

"Missed you, too, baby," Harry's hands seemed to glide over Louis' body with minds of their own. Eventually slipping beneath Louis' shirt in order to yank the hems from the confines of his denim waistband. The clips of his suspenders were the next things to be released, the straps easily falling behind him to be momentarily forgotten.

Louis never thought he would ever consider himself needy or clingy, but lately his heart ached more with every passing day.   
"Knew you'd come back to me."

"Hate that I'm never around," Harry whispered, unbuttoning Louis' shirt as his lips found the skin of his neck. "Drives me nuts when I think about you."

"Well, what do you think about?" Louis asked bashfully, his hands finding their way into Harry's curls. He tugged lightly at the ringlets, eliciting a tiny groan from him.

"Your hands.." Harry answered, his strong arms wrapping tightly around Louis' waist as he decorated the spot beneath his ear with a red mark.   
"Your eyes.." he added as his lips migrated lower, kissing down his chest and slipping the sleeve of Louis' button up off of his shoulder.   
"Your mouth.." he mumbled, dipping down to kiss and lick over Louis' nipple.

The younger boy shivered, a tiny gasped eliciting from his throat that Harry had moved his hand up to cover. His fingers nearly fit all the way around his neck, but not quite.

"Been so long since last time," Louis thought aloud as Harry shifted to give his other nipple some attention, much to the pleasure of the blue eyed boy.

"But it was so good," Harry smirked, one hand pushing Louis' shirt the rest of the way off of his torso.   
"You were so good for me," he praised, coming to discover that Louis lived for praise.

"Yeah? I was good?" Louis asked, his voice so innocent and soft.

"Always, baby," Harry hummed against his boyfriend's throat that he had removed his hand from.

Louis' hands seized the opportunity to lift Harry's t shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the floor carelessly. He pushed Harry back against the seat and quickly worked at his belt and jeans. 

They were removed sooner than expected considering they were in a car and Louis let Harry strip him of his bottoms as well. The younger boy lay over Harry's chest in order to catch his lips with his own once more.

Before they were too deep to pull away, Harry gently turned over to lay between Louis' legs that spread so eagerly for him. His hands reached up to trace over Harry's chest and eventually come to rest at his nape, pulling him down for another breathless kiss.

He hummed at the weight of Harry's hips between his thighs, trapping him against the seat.  
"Harry, I wanna feel you again," he whispered between rough presses of lips.   
"Want you."

Harry didn't say anything as he trailed his lips down Louis' front to meet his waistband. He mouthed at Louis' cock through the fabric of his boxers and smirked at the feeling of Louis' thighs gently pressing at the sides of his head.

Harry's hands gently forced them apart once more, and not soon after, he removed the remainder of Louis' clothes.

"Harry, I want to touch you," he whined softly, gently tugging Harry's head away from his hip that he had bitten marks into. He sat up then, Harry following suit and letting Louis lay him back against the seat once more.

Harry smiled when Louis graced his lips again, soon after, turning to face the opposite direction. Harry raised a brow as Louis straddled his chest and his hands pushed Harry's boxers down and off his legs. Once that was taken care of, Louis took no time in grasping his boyfriend's cock and thumbing at the head.

Harry tossed his head back against the leather when he was taken past Louis' lips.   
"Oh, fuck," he said a little louder than he probably meant to but Louis loved it. He was rock hard and leaking against Louis' tongue and he didn't know what else to do with his hands as he gripped into Louis' hips and held him up on his hands and knees.

Louis' smirk wasn't mean to be felt, but it was and Harry could admit that he smiled because of it.   
"Mm, think you're big and bad, don't you?" he asked rhetorically, "you're too good for that, baby."

Louis gasped at the feeling of Harry's saliva-slick fingers pressing at his hole, teasing him with the thought of being full. Or at least somewhat.

"Too good to be bad," Harry breathed as Louis squeezed the base of his cock, "or maybe the other way around," he contradicted, slowly pressing his middle two fingers into the tight heat above him.

"Ah~" Louis whimpered out, arching his back involuntarily and letting Harry stretch him.

Harry was quiet, simply pushing his fingers deep and curling them in order to press into Louis' sweet spot.

"Sound so good," Harry praised once more at the sound of Louis' endless mewling above him.

"Harry--" he gasped at that, subconsciously rocking back against Harry's digits, his body begging for more.

"Want more?" Harry asked as he sat up slightly, pressing his index finger in alongside his middle two, stretching his boyfriend in the process. "You can take it, baby."

Louis' legs shook with those words, reveling in the feeling of empty then full then empty then full.   
"Harry, please-"

He busied himself with the glove compartment, praying that Harry had stuffed it full of condoms. He found himself sighing in relief at the sight of the silver squares stored inside.

"You're ridiculous for already having condoms in here," Louis tore one from it's chain of similar packages and ripped it open as fast as he could. He whimpered as he pulled himself away from Harry's fingers and turned around to crash his lips into his.

His hands shakily tried to roll the rubber down and around Harry's length, but Harry ended up doing it properly after Louis' failed first attempts. The anticipation was getting to his head. He felt needy and clingy as he tasted Harry's mouth and hastily climbed into his lap once again.

Harry lifted his hips and situated his tip at Louis' wet entrance, his lips still pressed firmly against Louis' as he did so.

Eventually Louis rolled his hips down towards Harry's, the head pressing inside of him and catching on his rim in the best way. They shivered in each other's arms as Louis weighed himself down around his boyfriend's cock.

"Missed you," Harry breathed as he gently rolled his hips upward to meet Louis'.   
"Can't believe how good you always feel."

"Y-You're telling me," Louis stuttered, his hands on Harry's shoulders, nails leaving small crescent indentations. "You feel so big."

Harry shook his head at that, his hands raking down Louis' smooth back until they came to a stop on his hips. His fingertips pressed at the dimples that dented his lower back.   
"Flattery will only get you so far in life," he grunted casually.

"Well, it got you inside of me, didn't it?" Louis panted quietly as his hips rolled, accompanied by Harry's strong hands that gripped him tightly.

"Yeah, it did," Harry hissed when his tip caught on Louis' rim for a moment. To which Harry lifted Louis until he was barely inside of him before pressing him back down. Louis couldn't help the filthy sounds that escaped his lips each time Harry pressed himself deep inside of him.

"We really know the places to have sex," the greaser commented a short while later, hearing the steady squeaking of the car as it rocked with their movements.

"I couldn't care less where we were, as long as you were making me feel as good as you are right now," Louis told him honestly, focusing on the task at hand.

"Where's all this coming from, baby?" Harry asked with a devilish smirk on his shadowed face, lips gracing Louis' soft jawline.

"I'm sorry," Louis panted, though he didn't seem too guilty, "I just missed you so much. Needed you, but I couldn't have you, and now that I have you, I don't wanna stop," he whimpered, tossing his head back when Harry's hips rolled up to meet his desperate bounces.

"Don't want you to stop," his boyfriend replied, swallowing thickly as Louis' little panting breaths fanned over his face.

"I love you, Harry," Louis whined, rocking down against the boy with a bit of desperation. Even if his legs were getting tired and shaky, he was determined to keep at it.

"You're so beautiful," was Harry's immediate reply, "the sounds you make.."

It was his turn to moan then when Louis subconsciously tightened around his girth.

"You sound so much better."

"Not a chance," Harry replied, leaning up to catch the feeling of Louis' lips on his own. It was bruising and heavy and so breath taking, Louis found himself tearing away to try and catch his breath.

"Lay me down?" Louis hummed, his chest rising and falling quickly with his short breaths as he lightly pulled at Harry's shoulders.

Harry pulled out, much to the dismay of his boyfriend, and gently moved to fold his own legs back in order to properly lay between Louis' thighs. They clung to Harry's hips and shook with anticipation. The sound he made when Harry slowly eased into him again was something Harry felt so lucky to have the pleasure of hearing.

Louis would whimper every time Harry would press against his sweet spot.

"That it, moonlight?" Harry dipped his head down to whisper into Louis' ear, "want me there?" he pushed into the same spot, purposely snapping his hips forward. Louis' cheeks were a rosy pink even in the shadows that carved profile into his face.

"Ah! Yes!" Louis' nails were nearly drawing blood from Harry's flesh as he raked them up the middle of his back.   
"_Need _you there," he corrected lightly, his hands easily sliding to Harry's hair, tugging his curls as a grip onto reality that seemed to slip away each time Harry filled him.   
"Baby, please keep talking," he breathed, his jaw going slack.

"Love it when you beg me," Harry let slip once asked to speak, but he went with it.   
"Sound so good."

"Yeah?" Louis sighed in content when he felt Harry's hands sliding up his thighs, squeezing affectionately along the way.

"Oh, yeah."

"So do you," Louis purred in response to the compliment, "but I missed your voice and your face, and your stupid dumb smile," he pouted around a squeaky moan.

Harry laughed happily, the smile remaining etched on his face as he leaned down to silence his boyfriend with another deep kiss. Louis' thighs shook as they were gripped and gently pushed forward. His socked feet were in the air to either side of Harry's head, bobbing around uselessly as his boyfriend fucked him into the leather seat.

His toes curled when Harry rested his forearms on the leather at either side of Louis' head. The new angle pushed Louis' knees down toward his chest.

Harry's fingers were tangled in Louis' hair, fingertips massaging his scalp as his hips began to grind down into Louis'. All the jokes and laughs were cast aside by then.

Louis tightened around him, making Harry's hips stutter for a second.   
"So tight," he commented, the phrase not quite a popular cliche at the time.

He sat up then and looked between their bodies, the lights from outside allowing him to see the dimly-lit view of where they connected. He trailed a hand down Louis' chest, fingers lightly tracing over his leaking cock, just before his thumb was pressing against Louis' perineum.

Louis cried out, feeling the pad of Harry's digit adding pressure to his pleasure.

"You look so good around me, Louis," Harry breathed into the air. "The way you stretch and tighten around me.." he listed, "wanna give it to you all the time."

"You would get b-bored," Louis panted, his eyes closed and pinched brows raised blissfully. He would never admit how much Harry saying his name affected him.

"I could never get enough of you," Harry argued, eyes wandering over every visible inch of Louis' skin. "I love you so much."

"I love you," Louis sighed happily when he reached out to touch Harry's warm chest. By then, he was slowly, but deeply rolling his hips, making Louis helplessly cry out by default.

"Ah--" he gaped when Harry fully bottomed out and held his hips still for a moment. Louis felt so full and he became so _loud_ when his boyfriend's hips began to grind against his own.

"Is that okay?" Harry panted as he was quick to pull Louis up with him when he shifted to sit normally in the seat. All he got in response was a broken whimper and a limp nod.

Louis' thighs straddled the greaser, and while his cock was buried deep inside of him, Louis tried his best to bounce in his lap, his fingers sifting through his own hair as he did so.

Harry's arms wrapped tightly around Louis' waist, his face pressed into the crook of the boy's neck. "So good. Oh, my _God_," he groaned, a lot more audible than before.   
"Don't want to stop," he hissed, brows pinching together at his attempts to refrain from ending this all too soon.

"Mm," Louis whines at the way Harry's teeth feel against his collarbone, bruising him there as a claim. "Yours," he whispered when Harry kissed the mark he created.

"Yours," Harry replied, lifting his head up to kiss his boyfriend deeply.   
"All of me," he said so endearingly, Louis' heart skipped a beat.

"Mine," Louis moaned at a particularly hard thrust from Harry. The sound was like music to the elder boy's ears.   
"Yes, yes, yes," he chanted quietly, only to be cut off by another involuntary moan that passed his lips.

"What's my name, baby?"

"H-Harry--" Louis gasped, reaching a hand down to grasp his own cock that ached between them. "Harry--ah!" he panted, his head lulling back as he focused on the moments between empty and full, those wonderful moments that made him want to cry because Harry was going so _deep_ and Louis' legs wouldn't quit shaking.

Even as Harry's hands gripped his thighs, they shivered with the immense pleasure that coursed through him.

"Wanna hear your voice," Louis nearly cried, his hands moving to clutch onto Harry's shoulders instead.

"Yeah?" Harry asked, the husky tone of his voice making all of Louis' hairs stand on end. He swore he could see stars at that point.

With a desperate nod from his boyfriend, Harry continued, "look at you.." he whispered, "all spaced out, just waiting for me to make you come.."

"Can't wait too much longer--" Louis managed a breath, "I-I'm right on the edge."

"Mm," Harry hummed, slowing his movements to an almost torturous pace.   
"Let me help you over it."

Harry had pressed into him not three more slow times when Louis' orgasm hit him like a truck. They both discover his talent of coming untouched.

The sounds he made were loud and filthy and Harry couldn't hold back anymore. As he quickly fucked Louis through his high, he found himself following suit soon after.

He filled the condom with a deep groan and hugged Louis tight even if the boy could barely hold himself up.   
He was curling into Harry's shoulder, still panting and gasping at the tiniest of Harry's movements.

"You look so lovely when you come," Harry told him, his fingertips lightly tracing shapes over Louis' warm skin, making it raise in goosebumps. "Sound really pretty."

Louis managed a little contented hum, still too dazed to hold himself up without shaking.   
"I love you, H-Harry.." he panted out, his baby blues opening in order to look up at Harry's face.

He was panting as well, his bitten lips slightly parted and his hair was in stringy ringlets around his face.

"I love you," his smile was just as warm and inviting as his husky voice.

They shared breathless kisses in the otherwise quiet car and helped each other find their clothes once they'd mustered enough energy to do so.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis bumps into his father at the store.

"_I've been trying to figure out exactly what it is I need. Called up to listen to the voice of reason and got the answering machine_."

**-Reckless Serenade by, Arctic Monkeys**

**\---**

It was early September when Louis woke up to the sound of retching down the hall. He woke up alone again and it was becoming the norm, but he didn't mind it. Harry was close to a promotion and Louis just knew he would get it, especially with how many hours he's been putting in the past few months. 

Nevertheless, Louis forced himself out of the warm confines of the blankets and out into the hallway.   
"Sky?" he called out cautiously as the retching sounds continued. 

"In the bathroom," her voice could be heard through the door despite it's raspiness. Louis shuffled over to the door and gently pushed it open only to find the blonde gripping the sides of the toilet bowl. 

"Whoa," he thought aloud when he took everything in and Sky glanced up at him.

"Yeah, it's not too pretty," she chuckled as she spit into the bowl to try and rid the taste from her mouth. Louis helped her to her feet when she held a hand out to him and she leaned against the countertop to splash some water onto her face.

Louis stood timidly off to the side with his lip caught in between his teeth. He chewed it softly before releasing it and moving closer to her. He rubbed his hand down her back as she shut off the tap and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked transparent as opposed to her usual pale self. 

"Do you think you caught something?" he asked softly. He wasn't sure if she was ill or hungover, but he still wanted to be courteous to her needs. 

She gave him a tired smile, knowing that he was concerned about her, and she appreciated it.   
"I don't know if there's anything going around right now but knowing me I've always got something," she joked. Skylar turned herself around to face Louis and she rested her hips against the sink.  
"I've usually got a stash of _Pepto_ in the kitchen under the sink. Can you grab it for me?" 

Louis nodded and left her to go into the kitchen. He checked where he told her and also looked around everywhere else just in case, but it was nowhere to be seen. He got her a tall glass of water instead, hoping to aid her in at least a little relief. 

"Uh, I didn't find any. I think Josh used it all up the other night."   
He handed her the glass of water then, "I figured a little water could help though."

Sky accepted the glass with a gracious nod. She was never really good with people helping her because she never knew what to say. She appreciated the help, no doubt, but she always felt awkward when it came to someone taking care of her.   
"I'll have to run to the store then," she sighed when she set the cup down and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. 

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Sky. I can go for you," Louis told her. 

"Yeah? You'd do that for me?" Sky asked.

"Of course," Louis replied as-a-matter-of-factly. "Wish I had a car here so I could get in some practice time."

"You'll get more chances soon enough," she assured him as she brought her hand up to her stomach. "I really appreciate you going for me. I don't think I'd be able to keep anything down in a moving vehicle."

"Seems like you're struggling to keep it down while standing in _place_," Louis joked as he nodded understandingly. His heart raced as he thought about getting back behind the steering wheel, even if that time would come some time later on. 

Skylar could see that Louis was basically bouncing to get some practice time. Or maybe he was just excited to be getting out of the house for a little bit. She was going to say something before she heard the front door open and shut. Louis went to investigate and saw that it was Perrie who had just come back. 

On nights she stayed over, she had developed a habit of leaving early in the morning before the sun rise. She didn't tell anybody what she was doing, and no one thought anything of it enough to ask. 

Louis greeted her and she smiled warmly, looking chipper as she did whenever she came back ever morning. "Hey, Lou. Nice to see you up so early." 

"Yeah," he chuckled. It wasn't very early, but it wasn't worth correcting her. "Sky isn't feeling so hot so I offered to go pick up some medicine for her."

Perrie raised an eyebrow in concern, "what's she got this time?" 

"Just nausea I think. I don't know, why?" 

"No reason. Can I come with?"

"I don't see why not," Louis shrugged as he pulled the door back open and led the way off the property. They walked to the station together and waited for the street car. When it came, there was only one free seat so Louis insisted that Perrie take it. He was fine with standing and holding the bar. 

The short ride to the marketplace wasn't too memorable aside from the girls sitting up front who kept glancing back at him like he was something special. 

Louis raised a brow at the random attention before reading the letters on the back of their jackets.   
'_Graduating class of 1960_'. 

Louis figured they were part of the group of juniors from his senior year. His soc friends were always trying to pick up the lower-classmen, so it was no real surprise when the entire student body would find out about anything Louis ever did. 

It was probably a good thing that he hadn't really done that much until _after_ he graduated. 

They definitely seemed to know who he was, but he didn't know what to think of it. They didn't matter much to him, but he was definitely curious now.

Louis was incredibly grateful when they finally reached their stop and he exited the car with Perrie.   
"What was all that about?" she asked him as if he had a clue. "Someone's got a crush," she chuckled. 

"No idea. I think I recognize them from the school, but I've been graduated for a while. I don't see why they'd have any interest in me now," Louis told her as they walked, trying to figure it out.

"To be fair, you are walking around with a greaser. Sure they know, but it's probably still weird to them that you're flaunting it around." 

Louis shrugged, looking to Perrie. She wasn't the greaser she once was, and he had to admit that this suited her much more. She stopped putting her hair up in a bump and now wore it down, letting it flow. The watched at the sun reflected off her light hair, making it look golden. She traded her tight fitting clothes for more comfortable attire. Everything about her seemed more relaxed now. She seemed healthier.

Perrie elbowed Louis softly while laughing. "You're staring." 

"Oh! Sorry, it's just that you don't really look like a greaser anymore, you feel?"

"I catch it. No one asks to be a greaser though. It isn't a label you want nor can you really wear it proudly. They just call us that so they can sort us into a group to fight against. I was never actually a greaser.. I've always been Perrie. The guys have always been the guys to me, nothing else. This stupid fight between socs and greasers just breeds more hate, which we don't need. I wish people would open up their eyes and see that." 

Louis couldn't respond to that. He didn't ever see it like that, most likely because he had never been apart of the fight before. He was a good kid that went to school, work, and home. No one ever bothered him. He had only learned about greasers because of what people at school said about them. 

He realized that while he was never exposed to this life, it doesn't mean that the group wasn't. It seemed like all of them had gotten into a scrap with a soc at least once in their life. 

The socs were more violent than the greasers, and why? Because of rumors going around about. Louis' head spun. If they lied about the people he had come to call family and made them out to be no good thugs, then what was being said about him for 'betraying' them?

Louis held the push door open for Perrie despite his rushing thoughts and followed her inside. They searched the medicine aisle for anything that could help even if Louis spent most of the time pondering the possibilities while Perrie did most of the real searching. 

"That's really gonna bug me," he chuckled ruefully, "I wanna know what they were thinking." 

"Don't worry too much about it. Don't need you getting sick as well," Perrie told him from where she was knelt down to search the lower shelves. 

"I won't, it's just weird.." Louis shook his head, "why today? Why at all, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it, babe," Perrie replied as she finally scored a few boxes of the right meds. She stood then, about to ask Louis if he was paying for it when she was faced with an unusual sight. 

Louis' lips were parted slightly, his eyes wide and focused on one thing in particular. 

"Lou? What's up?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face to get his attention. 

"Th-That's my dad," Louis said so quietly Perrie almost didn't hear it. But she definitely did and she definitely looked forward to find the man in question.There was no doubt in Perrie's mind that the man who just walked in was Louis' father. 

The resemblance was uncanny.   
"Holy shit.." she thought aloud, "it's like looking at an older you."

"Perrie, I can't do this," he turned to her suddenly, his eyes welling up with tears. "Can we please leave?"

Perrie read the urgency of the situation when she saw the tears well up in his eyes. She dropped all their items and took Louis by the arm, pulling him towards the door. Louis was willing to come until he heard his name. 

He hadn't heard his father call him in so long, and to make it worse, he'd never heard him call his name so softly. Louis looked her in the eye and shook his head softly. 

"Do you need me? We can go." 

Louis loosened his hold on her hand. He gave her a weak smile. "I think I need to do this. I can't ignore him forever, you know?" 

Perrie agreed and picked the items back up. "I'll take this to Sky so this trip wasn't for nothing. You'll do great."

She hugged him tightly and rubbed his back. After she left, Louis was already facing his dad. Will looked tired, more tired than usual. He gave Louis a smile, seeming relieved to see him. Louis cleared the lump out of his throat. He was hyper aware of himself and his body. 

Louis gave a tight smile, the tears still in his eyes. 

"Dad," he squeaked.

"Louis," Will breathed out, his eyes just as glassy as his son's. He didn't say anything else when he pulled Louis closer and wrapped him up in his arms.   
"I've been so worried about you," he told him, his hand coming up to cradle the back of Louis' head as he held him. 

"I was gonna call the police, but I didn't want to push you away. I wanted you to come home on your own terms. But _Jesus_, Louis," he shook his head when we pulled away to look his son in the eye.

Louis did his best to avoid the eye contact with his father, not wanting to show him that he was crying. He finally couldn't avoid it any longer and he regretted it. He saw himself in his father's eyes, he saw that a few tears had escaped his eyes too. 

Louis sniffled, "I didn't know what to tell you. I never wanted to make you upset with me."   
He used his sleeve to wipe away his own tears. "It's easier to stay away instead of facing you guys."

Will nodded, sniffling quietly in attempts to relax a bit before he spoke, "you're okay, Lou. You _are_ eighteen so I can't really tell you what to do anymore.." he pursed his lips before continuing. "I'm just happy you're safe. You _are_ safe wherever you settled?" he asked to clarify.

Louis laughed in relief. He nodded his head, "I'm here aren't I? I'm at the highest point in my life, if I'm honest. I'm really happy where I am."

Will nodded once again, metaphorical weights lifting from his shoulders just from hearing that. "That's great. I'm glad you're doing better," he admitted honestly. "I trust you, son. Whatever decisions you make from here on out, I'm gonna be right there to support you."

Louis' breath caught in his throat. He cleared his throat, pushing himself to be more brave.   
"I'm really happy to hear you say that. I uh.. I'm living with a greaser and his friends." 

He was going to leave it at that, but something inside him told him it was now or never. "Well, it's my boyfriend and his friends."

"Boyfriend.." Will said the word as if testing it out for the first time. "I assume you mean that literally.." he ran his fingers through his short hair as he thought of what to say. He blew out a sigh as if taking it all in before speaking again.   
"I can handle that.." he assured Louis with a warm smile.

Louis' face lit up and he grinned.   
"You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that, dad. I promise you, he's really great and he loves me. I'm sure he'd be ecstatic to meet you."

Will's smile only widened, a tiny sparkle in his eye because he could tell just how happy Louis truly was. His son never was that good at holding a pokerface.   
"I'd like that," he nodded honestly. "Maybe now I can get some extra hands for when the divorce papers are finalized," he said, only half jokingly.

Louis wasn't taken aback by the news. After all, his mother had made herself scarce and he saw it coming.   
"We both know that Lottie wouldn't be of much help," Louis straightened himself out, feeling much more confident now, "but I could stand to come around more. I'm not doing much at Harry's place anyways. He's kinda the bread bringer of the two of us."

Will chuckled a little at that, nodding because he could relate to the work effort his son's boyfriend had been putting in. "So he _does_ have a name," he joked.   
"Well, you and Harry and whoever else are more than welcome at the house."

Louis nodded, trying and failing to contain his smile.   
"I'll be sure to tell them, though they don't really like to take anything they can't give back. Trust me, I've tried. The sentiment is nice though."

"Sounds like you're in good hands," Will sighed, only this time it was a one of relief. "I'll uh let you get back to it," he laughed softly before reaching his arms up as if to ask Louis for another hug. "I'm glad I ran into you."

Louis clung to his father's middle and smiled, "me, too."


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry meets (most of) Louis' family.

"_Seen so much, you could get the blues but that don't mean that you should abuse it_."

**-Love by, Lana Del Rey**

**\---**

"Do you really think he's excited to meet me? 'Cause what if he's just lying and when we get there, he treats me like garbage?" 

Harry was panicking to say the very least. He had never done this before. He'd never met the parents or even been in a relationship as long as he had been with Louis. 

"That's not gonna happen, Harry," Louis shook his head as he laced up his shoes. Harry woke up at 8am to get ready (even though they planned to leave at noon) and had been pacing the room in front of him for the last five minutes.

"You're sure?"

"Give the guy some credit," Louis tried to joke.

"Louis," Harry stopped pacing to look down at the younger man. "I'm about to go to my formerly _soc_ boyfriend's house to meet his _soc_ father in his _soc_ neighborhood where _socs_ happen to live and in case you didn't realize, _I'm quite the opposite of soc_."

"Which is why we're not putting grease in your hair today," Louis smiled in order to try and ease the tension, "or swearing too much."

Harry bit into his bottom lip, running a hand through his loose curls. He let his hair grow out a bit since they met at the drive in and Louis definitely wasn't complaining.

"I'm sorry. I just get all.. weird whenever I leave the city," Harry told him, shrugging, "especially going into soc territory."

"You're nervous," Louis said as he stood and reached out to hold Harry's hand. Harry let him squeeze his fingers. "It's understandable.. but I'll be there," he hummed, reaching a hand up to cup Harry's cheek. "I've got your back just as much as you've got mine," he assured.

Harry sighed quietly, pulling Louis into a tight hug and trying to calm down.   
"I know, baby," he said softly.

"I love you," Louis said into Harry's chest, tilting his chin up to press a chaste kiss to his jawline.

"I love you," Harry replied with a smile and Louis was glad to see it.

The drive there wasn't as long as Harry was expecting, which helped him feel a little less anxious about the whole ordeal. But when they arrived, Harry was met with a house bigger than any he'd ever been in (aside from Liam Payne's of course). 

Harry found it hard to feel anything but anxious as he got out of the car and followed Louis onto the property. He made a quick scan of everything as he walked through the yard and up to the front door. He made note of how high the fences were and as soon as they were inside, he was quick to map out the location of potential escape routes.

"Anybody home?" Louis' voice sounded throughout the house, both startling Harry and bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Do you really have to yell?" came a woman's voice from the stairs and Harry wondered if it was Louis' mother until he actually saw her face.   
"It's bad enough mom and dad argue every time she comes over," down the staircase came a blonde, teenaged girl with big blue eyes. 

"Sorry, Lottie," Louis sighed, refraining from rolling his eyes as to avoid an argument.

"This the boyfriend?" she asked, giving Harry a quick once over.

Louis pursed his lips awkwardly, glancing up at Harry to find him looking back at him with the same face. "Dad told you guys, then."

"Just me and Fizzy but we weren't very surprised."

"Nice one, dad," Louis mumbled under his breath. At least it saved him the trouble of telling them himself.   
"Yeah, this is the boyfriend," he shrugged as he gestured to Harry.   
"His name is Harry, by the way. Harry, this is my sister Charlotte."

"Lottie," she corrected.

"Lottie," Harry nodded to her with a polite little smile, her attitude reminding him of a younger Sky. She looked him over once more and the corner of her lips lifted slightly.

"Not bad," Lottie said simply before turning away and walking into the kitchen.

"There you are," Will's voice sounded from the top of the stairs before Louis could call her out on it. Usually in a suit, Louis found it quite strange to see his father in jeans and a t-shirt. 

"Where's your suit?" Louis asked when his dad hugged him.

"Oh, that itchy thing?" Will laughed shortly when they pulled away. "Well I was originally only required to wear it for work, but your mother decided that I should wear a suit every day. Keep up appearances and all that noise."

Louis nodded slowly in realization. He always assumed his parents just liked to dress nice. It kept their status up in the business world, but now it seemed that Will never really cared much for status.

"Where are my manners?" Will asked rhetorically as he turned to face Harry. He held out a hand for him to shake as he introduced himself, "William Tomlinson."

"Harry Styles," the younger man replied with a nervous smile, but he shook Will's hand firmly.

"Pleasure," Will replied honestly and the three of them stood there in slightly awkward silence until he spoke again, "so I've got a bunch of stuff already boxed up and ready to go. I'm gonna run this truckload over to your mother's new apartment. Why don't you boys finish up the guest room? She kept a lot of things in the closet up there."

"On it," Louis nodded, reaching for Harry's hand to pull him along. Louis felt a bit strange because never in a million years did he think he'd be _introducing his boyfriend to his father in his own house_.

"Be back in a jiff!" Will called to them as he snatched his keys from the hook and left them to it.

"He seems awful chipper for someone who just got a divorce," Harry thought aloud as Louis led him up the stairs and down the hallway.

Louis shrugged as he pushed open the door for the guest room. He'd never really been in this room aside from when his nana stayed with them for a summer in 1949 but that was literally a decade ago and she passed in the following winter.

"He's usually a pretty chipper guy," Louis told him. "I don't think I've ever seen him as upset as he was the day he found out."

"She cheated, yeah?" Harry asked curiously as he followed Louis into the room, "you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"It's fine," Louis assured him, "I'm over it. Not too sure about him just yet."

Harry nodded in understanding, moving to pull open the doors of the closet, not expecting it to be walk-in.   
"You never told me you were rich."

Louis chuckled, "definitely not rich," as he walked into the small room. It wasn't too big, but it was bigger than anything Harry ever had.

The two got to it, pulling clothes out and folding them before setting them in one of the cardboard boxes Will had obtained from somewhere. It took a good chunk of the afternoon for them to clear it out before they could see the floor.

Louis sighed as he taped up another box and wiped the sweat from his brow.   
"We make a good team," he said when Harry lifted the box in order to set it in bedroom with the rest.

"You're just now realizing this?" Harry laughed on the way out.

"Of course not. I can't express it when I feel like?" Louis replied as he walked up to the boy and leaned up to kiss him. "I'm gonna go get the vacuum."  
Then he was gone and Harry was left alone in the little guest room that wasn't so little after all.

He walked deeper into the closet to scan for anything they might've missed, but he didn't find much. Nothing that couldn't be vacuumed up and forgotten about. Until his eyes spotted a paper that had been stuffed deep into the corner of a shelf. It was worn and ripped in some areas.

Harry pulled it free and blew the dust from it before trying to straighten it out. He figured it was just another useless piece of junk that could be tossed with the rest of the garbage but when he read the contents of it, his brow was furrowing and his lips parted in confusion.

Louis could be heard just outside of the walk-in, wrestling with the cord of the vacuum as he tried to pull it with him. "Got it," he announced when he plugged it in and pulled it inside. 

Harry was quiet as he turned to face Louis, his expression completely blank aside from his eyes that seemed to be searching for something. An explanation.

"What's that? Looks like my birth certificate," Louis said, tilting his head slightly to read whatever it was that had Harry so shell-shocked. "What the fuck?"

"Why do you have this?" Harry asked.

"I-I don't know. I've never seen that," Louis shook his head, just as confused as Harry.

"Gemma is my sister. _Mine_. So why does this say Gemma Anne _Tomlinson_?" he asked, a bit shaky and Louis took the paper in his own hands to read it over as Harry internally screamed.

"1936.. what?" he shook his head, as if doing so would change the words on the certificate. "But.. But _I'm_ the eldest.. and I was born in '41. This doesn't make any sense," he turned back to see Harry running his hands through his head in distress. "My mom's signature is at the bottom."

"Is this some sort of joke?" Harry asked then.

"What? You think _I_ did this?"

Harry shook his head, sighing as he sank down to sit on the carpeted floor, "that's not what I'm saying."

"Because one, this isn't funny--I'm funny--and two, I don't even _know_ a Gemma."

Harry let his head thump against the wall behind him, "would your dad know?"

"I would like to think that my dad would tell me if I had an older sister," Louis shook his head. "His signature isn't on this, either."

"Whose is?" Harry asked curiously.

"Can't really decipher it," Louis said as he brought the paper closer, his eyes slightly squinted. "It's too squiggly."

"So what you're telling me is we have to go to your mom for this?"

"Seems that way," Louis pursed his lips as he set the paper back on the shelf and moved to sit next to Harry on the floor.

"What if I'm your brother or something?" Harry asked then and Louis gave him a look.

"What? That's insane."

"So is this," Harry said, grabbing the certificate from the shelf and holding it up for Louis to see.

"Just--don't think about it. We're not brothers," Louis shook his head, taking the paper from him and setting it aside again. 

The two spent the rest of the hour vacuuming and trying to come up with reasonable explanations. But none came.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis meets Harry's mother.

"_Our lives don't collide. I'm aware of this. We've got differences and impulses and your obsession with the little things_."

**-Fools by, Troye Sivan**

**\---**

"I know we didn't drive all the way over here _again_ just for her to _not_ be here _again_," Harry was a bit irritated if that wasn't obvious already. He had one hand on the steering wheel of the Riviera, the other holding his head up as he leaned against the window.

He had waited for Louis to return from the apartment building and when he did, just to tell Harry she wasn't in, Harry wanted to implode.

"No answer," Louis shook his head as he climbed back into the passenger seat of the car.

"Did she skip town with the guy or somethin'?" he asked a little exasperatedly, but Louis just shrugged.

"I don't know," Louis said quietly, not one to talk much when Harry was upset. He didn't want to risk him getting even angrier. Even if he knew that Harry would never hurt him, angry Harry was quite a terrifying sight.

Then once Louis' seatbelt clicked, Harry was flooring it away from the buildings. He had grown tired of them anyways and Louis didn't blame him. Especially after they had already been there _five separate times_ in hopes of catching Louis' mom and each time, they left empty handed.

Louis could admit he was frustrated, too.

"Now where are we going?" Louis asked when they passed Matty & Sky's and kept driving.

"I'm going to my house. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this once and for all."

Louis was quiet the rest of the way there. He didn't know when the ride would be over or where Harry's house even was, but he went with it as he did most things.

When they pulled up to a little suburban two-story, Louis took note of the chainlink fence and overgrown weeds but he didn't care. He just followed Harry out of the car.

When Harry turned back, he expected to see Louis in the passenger seat, not right behind him. "Uhm.. maybe you should wait in the car," he tried.

"What? No way," Louis shook his head.

"Please?"

"Why?"

"Just--" Harry tried before he was interrupted by the sound of the screen door squeaking open. 

"Harry?" a woman's voice emitted from the steps.

Louis watched as Harry seemed to cringe slightly. Not out of pain, but something else that he wasn't sure of just yet.

"Mom," he replied as he turned to face the house once more, awkwardly leading Louis through the gate and up to the door. 

Louis was happy to have gotten his way, but kept his comments to himself as he glanced up to Harry's mother. From her kind eyes to her dark hair, the resemblance to Harry was quite remarkable. All the way to her dimpled cheeks.

"What're you doing here, sweetheart?" she asked and Louis felt his heartstrings tugging at the way Harry immediately engulfed her in a hug.

"Where's Mick?" was all Harry replied with when he pulled away to look into the house. He looked left to right as if checking for a clear coast and Louis was getting confused again. Who was Mick? Why was Harry so worried about his whereabouts?

"He's gone, dear," she told him.

"Gone?"

Then Anne was glancing over at Louis and offering a warm smile despite her fragile-looking eyes. "Who's your friend?"

Harry turned back, seeming to have momentarily forgotten that Louis hadn't stayed in the car.

"Louis. He's uh.. my boyfriend," Harry answered her with a slight flush to his cheeks. His mother knew he slept around. She didn't think it was any of her business what he chose to do with his body. "Louis this is my mom Anne."

Louis was surprised to hear Harry introduce him as his boyfriend. Not that he thought Harry wouldn't want to, but because he wasn't sure if Anne was as accepting as his father was. If anything, Harry was just worried that Louis would be upset with him for not telling him about his father or his family in general. 

He hoped this would all end well.

"Louis. Louis Tomlinson," he said and when she moved to hug him as well, Louis was certain that Anne didn't mind.

"Tomlinson.." Anne repeated flatly when she pulled away, but not necessarily in a negative way. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but you wouldn't happen to be related to a Lana Tomlinson?"

Louis nodded slowly, unsure if that was the right decision or not, but Harry didn't stop him so he answered, "she's my mother, actually. I didn't really expect you to know of her."

Anne's eyes seemed to flash with something when she replied, "she's quite the singer, isn't she? Such a soulful voice."

"Yeah.." Louis nodded again, pursing his lips and looking to Harry for help. He didn't know what to say and he wanted to know how Anne knew of his mother, but he didn't dwell too long on that.

"She's actually part of the reason we're here," Harry told his mother. "Maybe we should discuss it inside?"

"Sure. Come in," Anne nodded as she turned and gestured for them to follow her into the house. 

Louis linked up with Harry again, a bit nervous about the possible outcomes of the discussion. He was almost certain that some sort of emotional bomb was about to be dropped on one if not all of them. 

Not only was he nervous, but curious as well. He still wanted to know who Mick was and why Harry seemed so worried whenever he was brought up.

Overall, the Styles household resembled that of any other suburban home Louis had ever been in. They were all built almost exactly the same, so it was up to the homeowners to make it their own and the Styles' definitely made it their own.

In more ways than one as Louis was sure to find out soon enough.

Harry sat with Louis and his mother on the couch in their living room.

"So.. Mick?" Harry asked curiously, hoping to get right to it and Louis paid close attention.

"He's gone, baby."

"You mentioned that. Gone where?" Harry pried, "I need to know where he is."

"The police came and got him."

"When was this?"

"A little bit after your last visit, actually," Anne explained and Louis was still confused as ever, but he stayed silent and attentive.   
"Some of the neighbors must've heard and called it in."

"How long is he gone for?"

"Few years at least. I pressed charges," Anne told him, "but I can assure you he won't be coming back here even when he's let out."

"Why not?"

"I left him," she replied and Harry's lips parted. Louis watched his eyes well up with tears, something he'd never seen before.

Within seconds Harry was falling apart in his mother's arms, crying against her shoulder as she held him tightly and Louis was frozen. He didn't know what he should've said or done, if _anything_. 

"It's okay, love," Anne told him, "you don't have to worry anymore. When Gem leaves for college this winter, I'll have a restraining order against him. He won't be allowed anywhere near me or you kids."

"I should've been here," Harry said, slightly disregarding everything she had just told him.   
"I should've stayed and tried, but I ran. I'm such a coward," he cried, "he hurt you guys and I couldn't protect you. I _couldn't_. I-I was too _weak_\--"

"Harry," Anne scolded lightly, pulling away slightly to run her hands through his curls. Her palms paused on his cheeks, her thumbs wiping the tears from his skin. "Look at me."

Harry did as told, looking her in the eye despite how blurry his vision was.

"He hurt you, too, baby.. and you ran and that's _okay_. You got out and I'm _so_ glad you did," Anne assured him even if her eyes were watering by then as well, "and you _did_ try, Harry. You tried so hard and that's more than enough. You are not a coward. You are the bravest boy."

"You _are_," Louis nodded in agreement with that, bringing a hand up to lightly rub up and down Harry's back. And it didn't matter if Louis didn't know the details.

Anne smiled at Louis' comment, "you believe us, don't you?"

Harry shrugged, sniffling by then. His eyes were red and puffy but Anne and Louis never called him out for it.

"Harry, you're a victim, too. It's not just me, it's not just Gem. It's you, too," Anne nodded, the tears finally streaming down her face. "You're allowed to feel hurt."

"That's another thing I wanted to talk about.." Harry said quietly, not quite confident enough to look back at Louis just yet. 

"Anything."

"Is Gemma really my sister?" Harry asked flat out, wet green eyes staring up at his mother's. He figured they were already in pretty deep, what more could this do?

Anne's lips parted momentarily before she pursed them and swallowed thickly. Louis' eyes were on her, but they were simply curious. Anne appreciated how sweet he seemed to be.

"Why do you ask?" she asked softly, mostly wondering who told him and/or how he found out.

Harry reached for his wallet, opened it, and pulled out a folded up paper.   
"We found this in Louis' house," he told her, handing it over.

Anne accepted and unfolded it. Her eyes scanned the page and her features _seriously_ resembled Harry's from when he first saw it.

"Oh my," she brought her hand up to her mouth. She had never actually seen the paper before.

"M-My parents are divorced now and we helped my mom move out and we found that with her things," Louis explained.

Anne looked up at Harry, then to Louis, then took a deep breath and paused for a moment. 

"It's a long story."

"So.. brief summary?" Harry asked, which would've made Louis want to crack a smile in any other situation, but he didn't this time.

"Gemma's not.. she's not your sister," Anne confessed quickly, "in the biological sense, that is.. but in every other way, of _course_," she nodded, unable to meet his eyes out of fear for how he might react.

"Are you even her mother?" Harry asked curiously and Louis' hand moved to squeeze Harry's hip supportively as he also wasn't sure how he would react.

Anne shook her head, "I was friends with her mother all throughout high school. Best friends, actually. We were glued at the hip, I tell you," she chuckled nostalgically.   
"But her mother was just awful to her. So of course when she ended up pregnant, she had the risk of being kicked out or shamed or worse if her parents found out. So after the baby was born and Mick had proposed and moved in with me, she asked us to take the baby and raise her," Anne bit her lip. 

"So Gem has absolutely no relation.. to _any_ of us..?" Harry questioned when he felt Louis' hand move away from his hip.

"Not to you guys. But she was talking about my mom.. weren't you?" Louis spoke out after his silence, looking up at Anne. "Gemma is my sister, after all?"

Anne nodded to confirm, "Lana always had such a wild soul. Nobody could ever stop her from doing what she set her mind to."

"B-But what about the signature at the bottom? The squiggle?" Louis asked then, hoping Anne had the answers. "We don't recognize it and it's definitely not my father's."

"William Tomlinson?"

Louis nodded.

"Definitely not him. I believe it was one of the boys from Denver. A bunch of college jocks came to LA for a championship the summer before she told me.. and some of them just never left California," Anne shrugged. "Some still live on this very street."

"Does Gemma know?" Harry asked, his eyes not as red, but still just as puffy. 

Anne nodded, "she knows we adopted her, just not who from. It's terrible, I know, but I never thought I'd _ever_ have to explain any of this to you kids."

Harry shook his head, "I don't even know what I would do if I were in that situation."

"You know honestly, we were sort of just worried that we might've somehow been brothers but you cleared that up, so thank you so much," Louis told her and Harry smiled for the first time in a while.

"I thought you told me to stop worrying about that possibility."

"Well, now we know it's definitely _not_ a possibility," Louis replied with a smile that matched Harry's and the older boy laughed at that.

The rest of the evening was spent getting to know each other better and building relationships from acquaintances to one of the family. Anne adored Louis and the way Harry beamed any time Louis laughed or smiled or even just talked. There was no denying that he loved the boy.

Harry helped with dinner. Louis tried, but gave up half way through. He figured asking someone 'how do you whisk?' meant cooking probably _wasn't_ his forte. 

But when the food was served, Louis wasn't too worried about the skill because Harry could cook. If the way Louis went for seconds was anything to go off of. Harry thought back to a time when Louis was scared to even look at a slice of pizza. And now they're having dinner in his own house with his mother and he doesn't have to hide his feelings for Louis or worry about his dad coming home.

At least not for a while.

Things were going pretty smoothly considering Harry's life was usually really shitty. But not Louis. Never Louis.

Harry loved that boy to pieces.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Trick or treat."

** _[TRIGGER WARNING]_ **

"_Consuming all the air inside my lungs. Ripping all the skin from off my bones. I'm prepared to sacrifice my life. I would gladly do it twice_."

**-Mercy by, Shawn Mendes**

**\---**

"Trick or treat!" has always been a popular Halloween phrase.   
If you bother to answer the door, that is.

If it were any other year, Louis would be either handing out candy from his own home or walking the streets with his friends trying to score candy from the people who didn't mind giving some to teenagers. Most doors would turn them away for being 'too old', but they wouldn't care much. They were in it for the adventure, too, so just wandering the neighborhood together wasn't so bad.

But this year was different because Louis was home with Harry and the gang and they didn't bother with the door. They didn't have candy, either.

Even if somebody was to knock on their door, it would not be heard. At least not with the way the volume on their little stereo was cranked all the way up.

The weed and alcohol was plentiful, especially with how hard Josh and Harry had been working. 

And though doctors at the time recommended it, Sky wasn't partaking in any kind of drinking. The 'stomach bug' they had all suspected her to have contracted two months before had actually turned out to be the miracle of life.

She was scared to tell Matty, as they hadn't ever really discussed their future to that extent and she had no idea how he would react. They loved each other, no doubt, but they usually just went with the flow and she didn't know how much of a flow there could be with a newborn baby around.

The biggest surprise was when Matty immediately dropped to his knee immediately after hearing the news.

"_I've had this in my nightstand for the longest time. I've been just waiting for the right moment to ask you_,"_ he had said to her. _"_I know the ring's not much but you're my everything.. and I'm gonna father the shit outta our kid._"

Matty had never seen her as happy as she was when he slid the ring onto her finger.

It was very unexpected and definitely a handful but on the nights they got to party, all their problems seemed to fade away or at the very least, be put on hold for the night.

"I got the last beer!" Josh announced loudly from his spot at the fridge. He was already drunk and it was only 8pm, but what was new? He popped the cap off on the edge of the counter and immediately tipped his head back to take a drink.

"Great! Don't bother saving any for the rest of us!" Harry laughed sarcastically from the living room where he had an arm wrapped around Louis' shoulders, letting his plastic cup gently bump against the side of his boyfriends'.

"Hope you're chipping in for the next pack," Matty added from the front doorway where he blew smoke into the night air. Doctors had also recommended cigarettes for Sky, but Matty felt a bit better smoking _away_ from her and the baby.

"Yeah, yeah," Josh nodded as he shuffled into the main room again, pulling a bill from his wallet and slapping it onto Matty's palm as he passed him.

Matty added more and handed the little pile of cash off to Harry who added in the rest of the cost and pocketed all of it. After all, Harry was usually the one to make quick trips to the store. Only recently had it become more probable that Louis would go instead.

"Try to have fun without me. I know I'm the life of the party and all, but I believe in you guys," Harry joked before pressing a kiss to Louis' cheek and standing from his seat.

Louis laughed around a sip of alcohol afterwards. He wasn't as much of a lightweight as he was when he first came around. Sure he drank before, just not as often and nothing as hard as the greasers' usual selection. It was more along the lines of champagne and wine, though, not beer and liquor. But that didn't matter then.

"Yeah, sure," Matty laughed as well, patting Harry's shoulder as a goodbye when he walked out of the house. "Be safe, man."

"Will do," Harry waved his hand lazily without turning back to look at the house. He was smiling despite his simple behaviors. He was having a lot more fun again and so was Louis. It was almost as if the end of their summer wasn't full of twists and turns. 

Everything was as it should've been, if not _better_.

Matty & Sky were gonna be parents, Josh & Perrie had been hooking up, Louis was good with most of his family again and so was Harry. These were all things Harry didn't see coming. At least not in the near future.

So he spent the walk there thinking about how everything changes and how he could be better than he used to be. Not only for Louis, but for himself as well. He was performing well at work and was definitely on the right path to a major promotion.

But even with his personal accomplishments, he passed a lot of kids and a lot of parents who weren't too happy about the smell of alcohol and marijuana wafting around their children's noses.

He didn't care, just kept walking until he reached the gas station and walked into the small convenience store behind the pumps. Harry was trying to be quick as he wanted to get back to the party, so he headed straight to the back and picked up a new pack of beer.

As he paid for it, sliding the cash over the counter, he wanted to laugh at the little sign behind it that displayed the legal drinking age. He didn't do this, however, because just like any other time he had gone there, they didn't ask his age. They barely even said a word, so clearly they didn't care much about it, either.

He snagged a small bag of jolly ranchers and popped one in his mouth on the way out, only to be confronted by an older man in a suit and.. a clown mask? 

_Really?_

"Trick or treat."

Harry's brows raised when the guy held a pillowcase out to him. He shook his head with a flat laugh, walking past the guy and tossing a single jolly rancher back at him.   
"Creep," he muttered, not even looking back to see if it landed anywhere near the guy as he began the journey back home.

He waited at a stoplight just down the street for the cars to stop coming so he could cross and with the autumn weather settling upon them, it didn't surprise Harry when it started to sprinkle.

He looked up at the cloudy night sky and sighed. It would definitely start pouring soon.

At least he would be inside for the rest of the night, unlike the kids who wanted to get candy regardless of the circumstances. Harry just hoped the cops would pick that creep up before he could harm anyone. 

But he didn't think to add himself to that equation.

Harry wasn't bothered by the sound of footsteps following behind him until he made it back to his block. There were hardly any kids around by then anyways, so he wasn't too surprised when he turned around for a second to scan the area and was met with nothing. 

But it was still really strange.

Harry blamed the paranoia on the slight buzz he had from before until he felt something grab at his arm and he whipped around to be met with a fist to the nose. Harry was knocked back onto the pavement, the beer bottles falling with and cracking on the pavement. 

He was a bit woozy as he tried to sit up. He reached up to check the wetness on his lips, his fingertips covered in red when he pulled them back.

"How many of you preppy fucks do I gotta knock flat before--" Harry tried to stand, expecting the guy to give him at least that. In fact he wasn't expecting much more than a simple fist fight until a steel-toed boot was kicking him square in the chest, sending him back to the ground and a gloved hand clasped around his throat, as if the wind wasn't just knocked from his chest.

This was going to be more than just a fist fight.

Harry sputtered, his blood slipping from his nose, over his lips, and down his chin. He tried to scream out while he was dragged away from the sidewalk and the subtle safety of the street lights to the darkness of the alleyway behind him, but any sound that came out was hoarse and useless anyways.

Then the back of his skull was pressed against the cold cement ground and he was held there by his throat. With his blurred vision, Harry could vaguely see the colors and shapes that made up the clown face. But even if he couldn't really see, he could still hear the sound of his own gasping, could still taste the bitterness of his own blood, could still feel his throat constricting.

Harry reached up to grab at the mask, resulting in one of the man's hands letting go in order to immobilize his arm. Harry gasped loudly, trying his hardest to get any oxygen he could into his lungs before he could be choked again. With his other hand, Harry managed to knock the mask away, revealing a face he didn't recognize at all. Not even if he could see clearly.

"Wh-Who the fuck.. _are_ you?!" Harry's voice grunted out in his struggle to breathe. His hands were slipped under the guy's knees, crushing his wrists and knuckles against the ground.

"I'm the guy your ol' man is paying to take care of you while he's in the slammer," the guy said in a condescending tone as he gave a fake pouty face.

Harry stared up at an icy pair of blue eyes and his brain went into overdrive as he remembered Louis and Sky and Perrie and the baby and _everyone_ and he had to get out of this somehow. He had to figure it out. He wasn't gonna let it all end like this.

"Which obviously means kill you."

The guy loosened his grip, Harry assumed so he could reply.   
"You're fucking insane. You don't even know me."

But then a knife was it his face.   
"You have such long, healthy hair," the sharp edge reflected any light it could until quickly, the knife was brought to his head, just below his ear. "Would be a perfect souvenir to bring back as proof."

Harry swore he could hear each string of his hair being hastily sliced from his scalp. The edge of the knife grazed at his skin and he tried to use his legs to kick, only to feel a sharper pain sprouting from the side of his left thigh. _There go any plans of running away_, he thought to himself as he felt the same blade deep within his skin.

Harry cried out only to be cut off by only one of the man's hands squeezing down around his throat again. The other hand slipped the tuft of Harry's hair into his blazer. Harry was starting to think the guy had a thing for asphyxiation. 

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I am insane," the man replied in a voice barely audible, "but your daddy and I are real good friends."

As the man rambled on, Harry glanced down to his thigh where a dark handle was still sticking out of his jeans. The area around the wound was completely soaked in rain as well as his blood. He wouldn't be surprised if it was the same for his scalp. It burned, no doubt, but he didn't exactly have time to assess the damage.

"Mick helped me escape his first week in there. Gave me your friend's address while I was on my way out. Tell me, Harry, when's the baby due?" the guy tilted his head to the side with a sick smile, feigning innocence even if it was long gone from him.

Harry's eyes narrowed angrily at the stranger as he listened. Nobody outside of the house knew. At least that's what he initially thought, but this guy just proved him wrong.

"And your little boyfriend. Louis, is it?"

Harry was seething.

"I've been watching you for days. I owe your daddy this debt and I've really missed the way these gloves feel when my hands are wrapped around someone's throat. So to be quite honest, I got nothing left to lose here, kid," he chuckled deeply and Harry wished he wasn't struggling for air so he wasn't forced to smell the guy's breath.

He was so fucking close to his face.

That was it.

Harry watched him as he talked, his eyes flicking from his chapped lips, to his forehead that beaded sweat and raindrops, and once he was close enough, Harry threw his head forward with all the strength he could muster, his skull thumping against his attacker's. With the force of it, Harry's skull smacked uncomfortably against the ground again, causing him to groan in pain despite the soreness of his throat.

He was immediately released after the head-butt and quickly rolled over, reversing their positions despite the searing pain in his leg. In a split second, Harry ripped the blade from his flesh and brought it up to grip it properly, but the rain and blood mixing together made things very slippery and difficult to grasp (as if he wasn't already shaky and in enough pain), so it was sort of expected when his wrists were grabbed before he could try and push the blade into the mans chest.

His brows furrowed in pain and focus as he put all of his strength and weight into pushing the handle, the older man's arms shaking with the exertion of holding him off.

"At least--" Harry began, his jaw setting in pain when his leg was bumped, but he didn't stop and he didn't plan to.

"Harry!" came a scared voice from the end of the alleyway, a few blurry spots appearing in the wet darkness. The man beneath him tilted his head back curiously to try and see who had called out, providing the perfect opening for Harry who hadn't bothered to look up.

Curiosity killed the cat, after all.

"..you've got n-nothing left to lose!" he shouted out as he used the distraction to his advantage and finally, the blade was shoving between the man's ribs with a sickening squelch. 

But the screams were worse than anything else.

Gloved hands gripped hastily at Harry's shirt and Harry watched the defeat in the man's eyes, but within the second the body beneath him went limp and lifeless, Harry was rolling over to the side again, completely exhausted.

"Harry!" came another voice and the blurry spots from before got closer, but Harry didn't get to see who they were or anything that happened next because his adrenaline was crashing and he was losing quite a bit of blood.

His eyes slipped shut and it was up to the blurry spots to figure out what to do from there, for he would be unconscious for the remainder of the night.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets a haircut.

"_We're still young. We don't know where we're going but we know where we belong_."

**-Sweet Creature by, Harry Styles**

**\---**

Louis was confident that the jagged slice in Harry's scalp would leave a permanent scar.

It ran from the top of his ear, down to his nape and dark stitches held the skin together until it healed enough. The side of Harry's head was shaved the very night he was brought to the ER, completely unconscious with a patch of hair missing from the rest of his blood soaked curls.

"Stop your cryin', baby," was the first thing Harry had wheezed out when Louis leaned down to hug him. Harry had just woken up and realized where he was, and there was Louis with tears streaming down his face but he managed to hold back any sobs. He hugged Harry as quickly and tightly as possible. He was also cautious enough to not hurt him and Harry was grateful for that.

Though it seemed that as soon as Louis pulled away, an older man was flashing a badge in Harry's face and pulling out a notepad.

The man revealed himself as Rusty Galloway (though his badge read 'Finbarr Galloway'), a detective within the homicide desk of the LAPD.

(**A/N:** _fun fact: Finbarr 'Rusty' Galloway is a side character from the video game **L.A. Noire**, which is set in Los Angeles in the 1940s and also happens to be my favorite video game of all time_)

He asked Harry multiple questions, one after another after another despite the fact that he had just barely opened his eyes but Louis kept his comments to himself.

After all, Galloway seemed interested in helping Harry's case. He very well could've just been feigning interest simply because it was his job to investigate cases like this, but Louis let it go once the man left.

Before which, Galloway questioned the available witnesses in the privacy of the hallway, took Harry's official statement, and announced that he would be getting in touch with a public defender who would keep him informed throughout the investigation.

The doctors removed the stitches from Harry's stab wound a week later. They insisted that Harry stay in the same bed while his leg healed and his scalp tried to catch up, but they figured his head would take about a month to heal. Because of this, they allowed him to go home after his leg was stitch free.

Louis was there for him when Harry stood and limped over to a wheel chair, he had helped him into the house, and that night they were finally able to sleep in their own bed again.

He would remain by Harry's side anyways, but especially through this rough patch.

In fact, he had a front row seat when Matty cut the rest of Harry's hair during the third week of November AKA Harry's third week of healing.

With the side of his head shaved, there was nothing they could really do about saving the length. So Louis' knee bounced anxiously as Matty took the shears to Harry's mane, leaving him with something just a step above your average military recruit's buzzcut.

Perrie swept up the hair that fell to floor with each snip and Louis took note of how much was swept compared to how much was left on Harry's head. The top was left longer than the faded sides and back, so he wasn't completely shaven, but needless to say, Louis was sad about it regardless.

He was sad that it happened in the first place, that he didn't go with him that night, that he was attacked and nearly killed. There were so many different things that Louis thought could've been avoided if he or someone would've gone with him. And yeah, maybe he couldn't have fought very well, but he could've done something.

He just knows he could've.

"Why such a long face, Lou?" Perrie asked when she plopped down onto the couch next to him.

Louis was brought out of his thoughts and sighed quietly before gesturing up to Harry who was conversing with Matty just across the room. More hair fell to the floor, only much shorter and straighter this time around. Any curls had been swept up and disposed of previously.

She gave a look of sympathy, tilting her head to rest her temple on Louis' shoulder.   
"It'll be alright, babes," she promised, "there's still plenty to grab at," she teased in hopes of cheering up her friend.

Louis cracked a smile at that which Perrie took as a personal victory.   
"Yeah, that's true," he said, then shook his head. "This has all just been.. really scary, honestly."

"Yeah, it has," she nodded in agreement as they watched the progress of the haircut. Louis felt like it would never end, but eventually Harry was pushing himself up onto his feet and running his fingers through his freshly cut hair.

Harry blew air passed his lips as he limped over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

"How we feeling, Styles?" Matty asked as he brushed all the hair from the seat, which Perrie moved to sweep up.

"I look like such a suit."

"Hm, I was thinking more military," Louis told him as soon as he had walked over and leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, I'm a little too late for that. The war's over," he joked. A simple smirk on his lips when he glanced at his boyfriend was enough to have Louis' stomach flipping but in a good way this time.

"Obviously," Louis rolled his eyes fondly, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Harry's torso, the older boy turning to face him and hold him tightly.   
"If anyone tries putting hands on you again, I'll start Civil War II," he half-joked and felt Harry's chest vibrate with his cute laugh.

There was a pause after that however and Louis' smile faded to a sad lip bite. His eyes watered as well.

He sniffled in Harry's arms, still holding him just as tightly as he cried quietly.   
"I was so fucking scared, Harry," he mumbled into his shirt and then Harry's hand was in Louis' hair.

"I know, baby. Me, too," he admitted just above a whisper, his voice a bit more hoarse than his usual raspy tone. The doctors said once the bruising on his neck faded, his voice should return to normal.

At least the bruises were healing.

"I'm so glad you're not dead."

"Me, too."

They both laughed a little bit, the tiny bit of closure lifting weight from their shoulders.

"Sorry for the interruption, boys," came Sky's voice in a tired yawn from just behind the bathroom doorway. There was a small bag in her hand that she held out to Harry.   
"Alex dropped by earlier while you were asleep. He heard about what happened and thought you could use some."

Harry moved his arms in order to accept and open the bag, revealing the little green nugs Alex had gifted him.   
He chuckled slightly at that, "I'll be sure to tell him thanks," to which Sky nodded and let them be once again.

"What is it?" Louis asked curiously, to which Harry moved the bag up so he could look.   
"Weed?" he asked, earning a nod, "does it help? I mean it's medicinal, too, right?"

Harry nodded again, "helps with pain which would be lovely right about now."

"We can go lay down if you want. I don't mind," Louis told him. When he nodded, Louis took his arm and draped it across his smaller shoulders. They shuffled down the hallway a bit slower than usual but that didn't matter much. Harry was excited to finally lay down after sitting still for an hour and then limping around. He wasn't sleepy, simply in pain.

So Harry rolled onto the mattress, falling still for a minute and sighing happily.   
"Just getting off my feet has me feeling better."

"That's good," Louis smiled fondly at him, giving him a moment to relax a little before joining him on the bed. Harry sat up against his pillows, allowing Louis to slot himself in the space between his arm and chest. He made sure he was on Harry's good side, meaning the side of his body that hadn't been stabbed or cut open. At least not recently.

Then Harry was leaning over slightly to reach for something from beside his bed; cigarette papers. For the next five minutes, Louis watched Harry break up the nugs of weed with his fingers, sprinkle the tiny bits onto the center of the small & thin piece of paper, lick it down, roll it up, then light the end of it.

Louis didn't look away when Harry puffed on the joint, exhaling the smoke not too long after inhaling. He cleared his throat slightly, which told Louis that his neck was still in pain. It didn't surprise Louis considering how bruised up it was the first night in the emergency room.

Harry managed though, despite the annoying cough and moved his hand slightly to offer it to the younger boy.

"You need it more than me," he shook his head modestly.

"I've got plenty, babe, really. Turner's a godsend."

Louis pursed his lips as he quickly thought it over. He & Niall had tried an actual cigarette before. It was at Liam's house in fact, right in his bedroom.

It wasn't all that but don't knock it before you try it, eh?

"Why not?" Louis shrugged, accepting the joint and taking a small hit. It was certainly smoother than a cigarette drag. He handed it back to Harry as he exhaled and coughed into his own arm.  
"So.. how's the investigation going?" Louis spoke hesitantly, as he didn't know if Harry wanted to talk about the incident just yet. He had been sure to not bring it up since the day Harry got home.

Harry's fingers traced over Louis' lower back and he explained the details of a phone call he'd gotten from the public defender that the detective had mentioned, "the attorney said Galloway had investigated the area after I was taken to the hospital. The coroner took the guy's body to the morgue after the scene was combed for clues and pictures were taken. Then Galloway came in to collect our statements and he's apparently still investigating. She said he was most likely waiting on an autopsy report so he can match the cause of death to our statements."

Louis nodded in understanding, feeling a bit better about being informed, even if it was only slightly. "So, what happens now?"

"The way she explained it was if Galloway is able to prove that it was self-defense and that there was no previous wrongdoing toward the guy on my part, then it'll be considered a 'perfect' self-defense case and I'll be acquitted," Harry told him, taking another drag from the joint.

"And if he can't?" Louis asked curiously, not minding the smoke he was breathing in. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel just yet, but he figured one drag off a joint wasn't going to do much.

"It's highly unlikely that that'll be the case, but if he can't, then it becomes an 'imperfect' self-defense case and I'll most likely go to prison," Harry told him the truth, never one to leave Louis in the dark or lead him to believe something else.   
"But like I said, it's highly unlikely. I've never seen the guy in my entire life, so how could I do him any wrong?"

"What if they think it wasn't an accident?"

"That's why the coroner's report is so crucial to all this. She told me they photographed my wounds while I was still on the ground, so they know there was at least somewhat of a fight before it happened and even though he lost his life, he did more physical damage to me than I did him. It's not likely, Louis," Harry assured him. Louis nodded in understanding and was offered the joint once more so he took another two drags before handing it back and watching Harry put it out.

His body felt light and his eyelids felt heavier than usual and they probably were, if Harry's fond little smirk was anything to go off of.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" Louis asked, his tone a lot slower and calmer than his usual quickly-paced sentences.

"You look high," Harry replied just as slow and calm, causing them both to burst into fits of laughter.

"So do you," Louis told him, poking Harry's dimple.

"I smoked more than you, so that doesn't really surprise me."

"Are you tired?" Louis asked then, moving his hand to Harry's chest so he could rub it through his T-shirt. Harry shrugged at that, squeezing Louis with the arm that was already around him.

"Not really. Why?"

Louis copied the shrug and moved his hand to Harry's hip, his fingertips teasing at the hem of his sweatpants. "No reason, really.."

Harry glanced from Louis' hand to his face, placing his free hand over Louis' and leaning in to kiss him. And it was like he was back in spring, when these kind of touches were brand new to him and so exciting that he didn't know what to do or even how to react. But now that he somewhat knew, it was even more exciting.

"I love you," Harry mumbled, momentarily sucking gently on Louis' bottom lip.

"Mm, can I ride you?" he asked at the same time. To which Louis replied 'I love you, too' and Harry replied 'please do' at the same time as well.

They both laughed, their lips brushing into a lazy peck before Louis was carefully shifting to sit between Harry's thighs. He was careful not to mess with his legs too much considering the circumstances and focused on untying the string in the waist of Harry's sweats instead.

Harry sat up properly, one of his hands making it's way to Louis' cheek where his thumb caressed it's lovely bone structure. He sat up to help Louis pull his bottoms down, being sure to avoid bumping his thigh before tossing the material to the floor beside the bed.

Then Perrie's bubbly laugh could be heard through the walls, a chipper sounding Josh came soon after, followed by the front door closing.

Louis' gaze flicked to the bedroom door then and Harry knew exactly what he was thinking. This was confirmed when Louis stood to lock the door.

Harry watched him walk away and then turn back around to face him.   
"Do me a favor?"

Louis raised a brow when he caught Harry staring at him and he started to walk back toward the bed, "anything."

"I wanna watch you undress."

Louis stopped in his tracks and his lips parted at Harry's request.   
"Do me a favor?" he asked.

"Anything."

"I.. It's sort of silly but.. I really like it when you tell me what to do," he admitted.

"You want me to boss you around?"

"Within reason, yes," Louis nodded.

"Undress, then," Harry replied simply, "and then I want you to come here."

Louis took this time to quickly peel his shirt from his chest and toss it aside.

"See? Just look at you," he gushed, making Louis blush and he looked up just in time to watch Harry's hand slip over the front of his boxers.   
"Turn around."

Louis felt himself twitch and then he was turning away.

"Good boy," Harry told him and Louis was undoing his pants, letting them fall down his legs. He made a show of it, too, hoping it would keep Harry talking. There was just something about his tone of voice that drove Louis wild.

He stepped out of his jeans and kicked them to the side before turning around again, taking note of Harry's boxers that were now on the floor.

"Come here."

Louis swallowed thickly as he walked to the side of the bed and Harry leaned in to press lingering kisses down Louis' chest to his stomach. He moaned softly when Harry's bottom lip brushed the tip of his cock that was barely sticking out of the top of his boxers.

The fabric was pulled down and off and Louis was standing there completely nude.

"Take a seat, baby," Harry took Louis' hands in his and helped him situate himself on Harry's lap. 

Louis sighed happily, his hands on Harry's shoulders in order to help stabilize himself as he tried to lower himself, but Harry held onto his thighs.   
"Gotta stretch you first," he reminded the eager boy. He brought his hand up to Louis' mouth and as he had done before, Louis licked and sucked his middle fingers into his mouth, wetting them easily.

"You really are somethin' else," Harry commented as he carefully removed his fingers. He wrapped that arm around Louis' waist, his hand moving to his bum.   
"So eager for me," he whispered when his wet fingertips traced around his hole.

Louis whimpered quietly, subconsciously trying to rock back onto them but Harry had other plans.

"Up," Harry squeezed at the thickness of Louis' thighs, helped lift him up enough to sink onto the tip of his cock and said, "that's it, baby. Work yourself open on me."

So Louis took his time, his hole gradually stretching around the head.

"Tell me how it feels."

"It's so good, Harry," Louis literally whined, brows pinching together in pleasure when he slipped a little deeper inside.   
"You always feel so good," he moved a little bit quicker until he was able to finally bottom out completely.

But before he could do anything else, Harry was lifting him up and off again. Louis gave him a concerned look, thinking he might've hurt him somehow.

But when Harry reached into his nightstand as he had many times before, it clicked. He snatched a condom from the drawer and unwrapped it so he could slip it on. 

"Okay, no more interruptions, I promise," Harry teased, making Louis smile happily.

"Good. Wouldn't want you to miss out," he replied, angling Harry at his entrance and sinking down again with ease.

"Fuck," Harry said under his breath and once Louis started bouncing, he found it hard to do anything but cuss.

He let Louis trail kisses from his mouth to his throat despite the faint bruising. He was gentle and slow and Louis hoped Harry could feel every ounce of his infatuation in each press of his lips.

Harry chuckled fondly when Louis marked the spot where his neck met his shoulder.

"Hm?" Louis moaned against his skin, his hips slowly grinding down against Harry's, pushing him deeper and deeper inside.

"It's just crazy.." Harry breathed quietly, his nails lightly raking up and down Louis' sides, "..how you make it feel like it's my first time every damn time."

A soft sound left Louis' lips when Harry's thumbs traced circles around his nipples.

"Mm, makes me wanna fuck you into the mattress.."

Louis whimpered again.

"..make you come so hard you can't stand."

"Fuck.." Louis gasped out, his legs shivering when he bottomed out again.

"Would you like that, baby?"

Louis nodded quickly, his nails digging into Harry's shoulders by then.

"Tell me how bad you want it."

"Fuck, Harry, use me," Louis let slip in the heat of the moment. He slowed down slightly, scared that he may have ruined the moment with his request but he didn't want to stop, so he didn't, "use me, please. I'm yours, so take all of me. Please. I just wanna be everything you need."

"You already are, sweetheart, trust me," Harry assured him, wrapping his arms around Louis' waist and carefully pulling him off in order to stand and carry him with.

It was only for a short moment, so Harry ignored the dull ache in his leg and focused on laying Louis down, turning him onto his stomach and propping him up on his knees.

The side of Louis' head was against the sheets and he was completely exposed to Harry. Though the praise and touches that came with it slowly chipped his walls down even if he was still slightly self-conscious about his stomach and his legs.

He figured he always would be, but that was okay. Regardless of how he felt about himself, Harry worshipped his body and it helped him let go.

"Look at you," Harry bent his bad leg, his knee dipping into the mattress beside Louis', but he kept his other foot planted firmly on the carpet. Then his hands were on Louis' ass, fingertips squeezing into his flesh before moving them to his hips instead.

Louis pushed himself up onto his elbows so he could look back and watch Harry slip back inside of him.

"Look at you," Louis whined, glancing up to Harry's eyes that were already on him.   
"Can't believe you're still _mine_!" he moaned out when Harry rolled his hips forward, his hands roaming Louis' body, just feeling him.

"As long as you'll have me, I'm yours," Harry hummed, his teeth sinking into his own bottom lip as he held his gaze.

"Like I'd want anybody else," Louis replied, "I love you so much, Harry."

Harry leaned down to kiss up the length of Louis' spine.   
"I love you," he mumbled against his skin and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend's body. The other was splayed out in the sheets, supporting his weight.

He paused his thrusts in order to grind into him.

"You're so fucking deep. Oh, my God," Louis cried out. He really was trying to be quiet, but he couldn't help it. Instead he gripped Harry's hand and moved it from his waist to the bed so he could let his face hit sheets again.

Harry started thrusting again, grabbing onto Louis' hips and slamming into him. Each thrust could most definitely be heard through the walls but it wasn't too big of a deal. It wasn't like they didn't hear Matty & Sky all the time.

"So. Fucking. Tight," Harry said in time with his strokes, doing as Louis asked by not holding back.

"A-Am I doing good?" Louis said around his panting breaths, quickly glancing back at Harry before letting his eyes shut with another thrust.

"Louis, you feel fucking euphoric."

"S-Says the weed," Louis joked.

"Says every time I've fucked you," Harry smirked.

"Y-You fuck me so w-well, Harry," Louis shook his head, fingers gripping into the sheets.   
"I come so hard every t-time. I know m'not th-that experienced," he stuttered each time Harry's cock slammed into his sweet spot, "but I can b-barely stop shaking."

Louis was rambling of course, but none of it was untrue. He loved to tell Harry how good he was for him.

"You're s-so fucking big, too. You f-fill me up," he hiccuped, the force of Harry's hips pushing him down into the mattress.

Harry was panting by then, their skin covered in sweat and love bites.   
"Keep talking," he breathed, the mattress springs squeaking with each little movement they made.

"I wish we n-never had to stop," Louis started rambling again and Harry let it happen.   
"You could f-fuck me into the 21st c-century. I don't care if we're e-eighty and hate each other."

Harry laughed a little at that, making Louis smile even brighter when his hands intertwined with his in the sheets.

"I'm such a fool for you, H-Harry, you could just b-breathe and I'd be on my kn-knees," he confessed, trying his best to push back against Harry every time he thrusted forward.   
"I'll do anything.. and I'll do it anywhere!"

"Jesus, Lou," Harry hissed, tossing his head back when Louis tightened around him.

"I mean it," Louis gasped, his entire body shaking beneath Harry's as he came between his torso and the sheets.

"L-Literally anywhere?" Harry's thrusts got a bit sloppy and Louis knew he was about to come any second.

"I'd let you fuck me on my mom's grand piano with the curtains drawn and the neighbors watching us," he said without hesitation.

Harry couldn't help but groan when he immediately spilled into the condom, his hips stuttering as he rode out his orgasm. Louis let Harry hug his body closer and nuzzle his face between his shoulder blades. He peppered kisses there as well.

Louis was still shaking so Harry was careful when he pulled out and ditched the rubber. Louis took that time to turn onto his back, his abdomen a sticky mess.

"Would you really?" Harry asked, standing there and panting.

"Would I really what?"

"Would you really let me fuck you on that piano?" Harry smiled, absolutely loving the concept.

Louis shrugged then, "if we're lucky enough to get my house to ourselves."

"You think we'll ever get that lucky?"

"You really wanna fuck on that piano."

"I do."

"Me, too, honestly."

"It's a date then."

Louis laughed, "it's a date."


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry & Louis get the house to themselves.

"_You're my religion. You're how I'm living. When all my friends say I should take some space. Well I can't envision that for a minute. When I'm down on my knees, you're how I pray_."

**-Religion by, Lana Del Rey**

**\---**

Early December concluded Harry's healing period. Stitch-free (but incredibly scarred), Harry spent his time counting down the days to Christmas. Not because he loved Christmas, but because a special somebody in his life had their birthday on it's Eve, the 24th.

Louis was finally going to turn 19 and he couldn't be more excited about it if he tried.

"We're gonna be the same age!" Louis had exclaimed quite endearingly.

"For like a month," Harry rebuffed with a fond laugh.

"Wow. Don't need to smash my dreams there, Harold."

"No, you're right, _Lewis_, we are."

As for Louis' party, his dad invited him & Harry to dinner at the Tomlinson's (which made Louis a bit anxious until Will told him the girls would be leaving for the night) so the party was postponed until later that night, but Perrie promised there would still be booze and joints waiting for them back at Sky's.

Harry spent a decent amount of time stressing over what to wear because he was sure he would always be intimidated by Louis' father. Even if the guy was extremely hospitable and had only nice things to say to and about Harry.

He's just never really been all that great with parents, you know? But he let it go as he drove Louis home and focused on keeping him happy. It was his day after all.

Harry was also sure he'd never get used to the way his rusty old Riviera looked while it was parked outside of Louis' expensive home.

"Hello?" Louis called out into his house when he let himself inside. Harry followed close behind, shutting the door behind himself and taking off his shoes. Louis did the same as he heard his sisters' footsteps trailing down the hallway upstairs and onto the staircase.

"Louis!"

He nearly fell over when he felt one of his siblings latch onto his waist, hugging him tightly. When he felt a second set of arms to his opposite side, Louis knew without having to see that it was the twins.

"What're you doing home?" Daisy asked when he scooped them up into his arms and hugged them tightly.

"Yeah, you're never here anymore, what gives?" Lottie chimed in when her and Félicité joined them in the foyer. She was dressed up and knowing her, it definitely wasn't for her older brother's birthday dinner. Louis raised a brow when he glanced to Fizzy to find that she was all dolled up as well.

"Just taking a breather. You know how it is," Louis replied to her question before asking his own, "are you guys leaving? What's with the getup?"

"I'm taking Fizzy to her first party," Lottie replied casually. "Think she's old enough now."

"If sixteen and seventeen is considered 'old enough' to party," Lou teased her and she just smirked in response.

"Maybe you should spend more time over there. It's about time you started sassing me back," she told him before linking her arm with Fizzy's.  
"Happy birthday, Louis. Nice haircut, Harry."

"Happy birthday, Lou. Bye, Harry," Fizzy added politely.

"Thanks, bye," both boys said in unison.

"Be safe, look out for each other," Louis called after them as they walked through the front door.  
"Mix your own drinks!" he added but the door had shut before then. He trusted Lottie to know what she was doing. After all, he'd been helping her sneak out to party since she was fourteen. 

"I thought only twins said stuff together like that," Phoebe made a confused face at her twin who shrugged.

"Maybe it's like a love thing?" Daisy replied. "Are you guys in love or something?"

"Something like that," Harry answered, reaching to squeeze Louis' hand when his cheeks turned bright red.

"Are you two staying for dinner or are you leaving, too? Dad should be back sometime soon," Louis changed the subject then. Not that he was uncomfortable with it but he could never be too sure of the things that came out of (any of) his sister's mouths sometimes.

"We'll stay," Phoebe smiled shyly as she looked up at Harry.

"But we're going to Sandra's for a slumber party afterwards," Daisy told him.

"Dad know about it?" Louis raised a knowing brow, making her roll her eyes in that way kids do when they're teased for something they were once guilty of doing.

"Yes, he does.. but he wants us back early tomorrow so we can open gifts together."

"And he expects me to be there, right?"

"Yup."

**\---**

An hour or so of sitting around in the living area passed before Harry broke the silence.

"Oh yeah, Lou, I was gonna ask you. My mom wants us over for this lunch thing with my sister tomorrow," Harry explained, making the twins' eyes widen with excitement from where they sat on the couch at the other side of the room.

"You have a sister?" Phoebe asked, raising her head from her magazine for the first time in several minutes.

"An older one, yeah," he answered, adjusting his arm to rest on the back of the couch behind Louis' head.

"Aw," she said in disappointment, having hoped to achieve a new friend. Then she flipped to the next page in her mag and continued reading.

"Does that sound okay though, baby?" Harry turned his attention back to Louis.

"Sounds lovely," the boy nodded, his knee bouncing anxiously until Harry's free hand came to rest over it, gently keeping it still. Louis' gaze moved from the clock to Harry's eyes.

"Relax," Harry moved closer to whisper in his ear, "what's up?"

"Just waiting on my dad.. I think he's still stuck at work," Louis said as he stared at the grandfather clock at the left of the living room. It was seven. His father should've been home by then. However, it wouldn't have been as big of a deal if it wasn't for it being Louis' birthday.

"Happen a lot?" he asked curiously.

"Sort of," Louis shrugged as he got up to walk into the kitchen, telling Harry he was going to pour them both something to drink. So Harry followed of course.   
"Sometimes he gets a little too into his paperwork and loses track of the time."

"I'm sure he'll turn up soon," Harry assured him and then Louis slid him a glass of ice water. Seeing the ice made Harry wish it would snow more where they were. He'd love to see the snowflakes melt in Louis' lashes or even take him ice skating.

Louis took a sip from his glass and glanced out of the kitchen window as he nodded in agreement.

"How far does he have to go for work?" Harry asked then and walked around the large island counter to join his boyfriend's side, his hand came to rest on the small of his back.

"Sort of far. Out of town," Louis pursed his lips, feeling kind of bummed that his father was late. He understood that it wasn't on purpose and he was sure his father's explanation would be reasonable.

"Well what do you usually like to do around here?" Harry asked, having only been to the house in order to help Louis' mother move out. Remembering the events from that day made Harry want to laugh.

"Usually I'm doing chores but the place is spotless," Louis replied, wandering into the foyer before leading Harry to the stairs.   
"I also can't believe I still haven't shown you my room," he laughed at his own expense, glancing back at the older boy.

"In all fairness, you haven't seen mine either," Harry smiled, walking over to the door Louis had opened ("touché," he had replied) and stepping into the room.

"You can show me tomorrow before your mom's lunch."

Harry nodded and looked around the spacious room. Louis' bed was huge, at least a queen size if not bigger with a blue colored bed set. There was a desk at the other side of the room with photographs and books, and beside it was a door that probably led into a walk-in closet just like the guest room had.

Harry wouldn't be surprised if every bedroom in the house had a walk-in.

Louis sat at the foot of his bed and announced, "so this is where I used to sleep."

"Looks comfy," Harry thought aloud, laying down beside him and stating, "_is_ comfy. We might have to nap before we eat."

"Yeah, I rarely got a bad nights sleep on this thing," Louis told him, laying back in order to be face to face with the boy. He reached up to run his fingertips through Harry's hair and pouted slightly. "I miss it."

"The bed or my hair?"

"Hair," Louis chuckled in response, "though if we stayed the night here, I wouldn't complain."

Harry laughed as well, "if you're fine with missing the booze."

"We could always go party for a few hours and drive back," Louis shrugged and Harry thought it over for a moment.

"Who would drive if we're both hammered?"

"We could bring a bottle back for just the two of us.." Lou suggested and Harry's mischievous little grin widened at the idea.

"Yeah, we could do that."

"My dad mentioned a Christmas party he was invited to tonight," the birthday boy traced his thumb over Harry's bottom lip.   
"He wasn't gonna go out of respect for my birthday but I'm pretty sure I could get him to change his mind."

"What would that mean?" Harry asked curiously, mostly just wanting to know what kind of thoughts were going through that pretty head of Lou's and if they matched the ones running through his own.

"It means we'd get the house to ourselves for a little while.." Louis smirked when Harry's arms pulled his body closer, holding him tight and kissing all over his face.

"Yeah?" was mumbled against Louis' throat when Harry got to it, before a series of delicate kisses were added there.

"It means there's the piano downstairs that you've had in mind for a bit.." he breathed, letting Harry kiss his skin and caress his body anywhere he could.

"Mm, go on," Harry shifted to lay between Louis' legs, slowly moving lower in order to give Louis' chest and tummy some attention. He giggled at the tickling feeling of Harry's lips on his skin and went to card his fingers through his curls before the feeling of his short strands reminded Louis that they weren't there anymore.

Oh well, Louis thought. He could get used to being able to see Harry's cute little ears and mark up his neck with ease.

"We could be as loud as we want," Louis moaned softly when Harry's hands squeezed at his hips the way he loved. It had been months since they could freely fuck without holding back.   
"No one would even hear it. It'd just be you.. and me.." he shivered, "and the sweet, sweet echo of my surprisingly empty house."

Harry smiled when he met Louis' eyes, leaning up to kiss him properly before saying against his lips, "sounds great, baby."

**\---**

When Will finally arrived, he was nothing but apologetic towards his son. Louis wasn't too upset if he was being honest. At least his father was trying, unlike his mother who he hadn't seen in weeks, but he didn't like to dwell on that.

After being assured a million times over that everything was fine, Will got to cooking and Lou saw a side of Harry he'd never really seen before.

He sat at the island counter, swinging his legs back and forth as he sat on a tall bar stool and watched his boyfriend cook dinner with his father.

"Since when are you a chef?" Louis asked curiously, resting his chin in his hands.

"I used to cook a lot for my family," Harry replied over his shoulder from his spot at the stove.  
"I'm a little rusty, though," he said modestly, making Will shake his head from where he was stood cutting vegetables.

"Nonsense, you're doing fine," the man told him.

Louis' heart warmed at the sight of the two getting along so well. Mostly because he never could've imagined any of this would be part of his future. It was like a dream come true; the domesticity and devotion to Harry, the acceptance from most of his family, and the sheer happiness he finally felt.

Harry was a bit confused when he and part of Louis' family sat down at the table and nobody touched their food. Instead, Will reached for his daughters hands, who in turn reached for Louis & Harry's.

Louis looked at the boy as if asking him to bear through it. That's when Will began a prayer and Harry put two & two together. He bowed his head respectfully despite his religious indifference and when he finished with an 'amen', they were finally digging in.

By eight however, Louis was feeling more pressured than anything else really. He had expected the conversation to stay safe and comfortable, but his father only seemed to want to talk about school.

"So have you been thinking about where you'd like to study?" Will asked as he cut into his steak.

Louis paused for a moment, trying to think of a better answer than 'not really'.

"I'm still kind of trying to figure that out.." he settled for, hoping Will would drop it and they could talk about something else. Even sports would be a more comfortable topic than school and Louis was far from interested in any sports. Unless soccer was involved, of course.

Instead of dropping it however, Will pressed on in that way parents seemed to love pressing, "well you know there are plenty of options out there. What do you want to do? Name it and we'll get it set up."

Harry bounced his brows in surprise at that, finding himself wishing he had the luxury of becoming whatever he wanted at the drop of a dime. But he mostly just envied the fact that Louis' father actually cared about his future. Harry wouldn't say anything about it, though.

The idea of having some sort of relationship with his own father was a distant afterthought in Harry's mind at that point. There was nothing more to say.

Louis flushed red again, but out of actual embarrassment this time. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much, but he hated when his family tried to make it so incredibly obvious that they had everything going for them. (Aside from the divorce, of course.) 

He didn't like seeming like he was trying to be better than everyone else.

But he was still incredibly grateful for his abundant supply of opportunity and potential success.

"I.. I don't know," Louis replied honestly, shaking his head and avoiding eye contact with anyone else. Even his sisters who just sat there eating in silence. They were unable to add much to the conversation anyways.

"You don't know?" Will chuckled lightheartedly, wiping his fingertips on the pale yellow serviette he had folded over his lap.

"I don't know what I'd even be good at.." he shrugged in response, at this point just poking at his food with his fork.

"What're you talking about, Lou?" Will asked then, "you're plenty good at plenty of things."

"Name a few," Louis replied simply, staring his father in the eyes then, hoping he would see that the topic made him extremely uncomfortable. Harry glanced at Louis then, hoping things didn't escalate any more than they needed to. 

Louis deserved nothing but happiness that day.

Will wiped at his mouth with his napkin and cleared his throat before speaking, "Louis, you can't just not go to college.." he said, treading lightly.

"I know, I know," Louis sighed, running his fingers through his hair stressfully.   
"I'm sorry.. I've been trying to figure it out. Believe me, I have. I just.. I seriously don't know what I'd be good at. I try to think of myself as talented but aside from a dirty old soccer ball in my bedroom, not much comes to mind."

"So you can be an athlete," Will suggested then, his tone staying light. "They make some serious money, you know."

"Dad, I don't know what I want to do yet. I promise you I'll figure it out, but I'd really like to just drop it for now, okay?"

One of Harry's hands supportively came to rest over Louis' thigh under the table. Nobody but the two of them could see or feel it, but it was much appreciated either way. The way Louis visibly seemed to calm after the touch let Harry know that everything was okay or that it would be soon enough.

It was a real wakeup call however, because Harry never knew Louis felt that way before. He never could've imagined that a kid who had his whole life handed to him on a silver platter would feel stuck like this. He started to worry that he may have been holding Louis back, but he tried to focus more on comforting his boyfriend than having those kinds of thoughts.

It was difficult of course, but Harry always managed.

"Alright, son," Will nodded, seeming to have grown sympathetic in the time it took for Louis to grow calm. "Just keep me posted, okay? I'm here to help."

"I know, dad," Louis nodded, offering a sad half smile to show that he felt guilty for snapping. It wasn't his family's fault that he didn't know what he wanted in life. It was _his_ job to figure it out, _theirs_ was to help him get there. 

"I really appreciate it."

Will and the girls went back to eating and conversing while Louis smiled over at Harry, his eyes showing nothing but admiration and gratefulness. Grateful for having Harry to ground him when he needed. He knew he'd have to work on that, but he was trying and that's what mattered.

"You mentioned a Christmas party on the phone earlier?" Louis brought up then and Harry's eyes glanced to Will then, awaiting his response. Wherever this conversation led would determine what he and Louis could do that night and he was really determined to show Louis a great time.

Granted they still had Louis' bedroom and Harry was sure he saw a lock on the door, but the thought of being able to be completely open and unrestrained was running wild in Harry's mind. What made it even worse was when he'd turn his head and spot the shiny black surface of the grand piano in the open area behind the staircase.

Will nodded, "yes, my co-workers invited me. It's tonight but I told them I'd already set aside the night for this."

Will didn't seem too disappointed in skipping the party, but Louis thought it couldn't hurt to offer.   
"You know you don't have to stay here the whole time if you don't want.."

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean if you wanted to go to the party, you could. Won't stop you," Louis shook his head casually, "I mean the girls are already gone and the twins will be leaving as well. You can go have fun, too. I won't keep you here."

"You're not keeping me here, Lou, I want to be here for you."

"You really want to spend the entire night third-wheeling while Harry and I hang around?" Louis chuckled then, hoping he was swaying him at least somewhat, "and you've been stuck at work all day, too, dad. You deserve to go have fun."

"You're sure you don't mind?"

"Of course."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to drop in and say hi, at least," Will thought it over before shrugging it off. "What the heck, I'm sure you two can hold down the fort here for a little while."

"Don't even worry about us, we'll be fine, right Harry?" Louis glanced over at him with a wide smile, the two of them mostly just awaiting the moment they would finally be completely alone together.

"Of course. We're probably just gonna lounge around. M'really sore from work, actually," Harry rubbed at the back of his neck to add emphasis and Louis was happy for the extra bit of convincing.

"As long as you're not going to party the house down, I'm fine with it," Will laughed, making Louis and Harry laugh as well but for different reasons. It was mostly just the irony behind Will thinking they'd invite tons of people over, when in all actuality, _they just wanted some peace and quiet_.

"No parties," Louis assured him as he watched the man get up and walk with his empty plate into the kitchen.

"Come rinse your plates, ladies," Will called to the twins who had finished eating earlier and been sitting there with bored expressions on their faces. The family didn't leave the table during a meal until Will or Lana allowed it and obviously the latter wasn't there to do so, so the girls followed the former into the kitchen.

Louis immediately turned to Harry and held his hand out for a high-five, which he immediately got from the older boy.   
"That was easier than I thought it would be. He can be really stubborn about that kind of thing sometimes."

Harry scooted in closer to whisper in his ear, "I can already picture the way you'll look all splayed out on the lid of the piano," his hand lightly gripped into Louis' thigh, his fingertips excruciatingly close to his crotch.

"Jesus, Harry, they're _right there_," Louis whispered back, but he didn't make any effort to pull away or move Harry's hand.

"..how loud it's gonna be when I fuck you over the keys," his thumb lightly traced over Louis' growing bulge, making him hiss slightly.

"Harry.."

"But first I'm gonna make you feel like a prince on that royal blue bedspread of yours," Harry kissed the spot beneath Louis' ear before adding, "no, a _king_."

Louis gasped and Harry pulled back when they heard the sound of the twins' footsteps running from the kitchen into the main room again. Harry stood to take his plate to the kitchen and Louis was pulling the hem of his shirt down a bit.

"We can't skip the party, though," he said despite his blushing cheeks. It seemed his cheeks would maintain various shades of pink for the majority of the night. He watched the girls disappear upstairs as he brought his own plate in.

"I know and we won't, I just like to tease you sometimes," Harry admitted with that smirk of his and Louis always thought it belonged on the silver screen, but that's beside the point.

"Ass," Louis nudged his arm with his elbow, trying his best not to smile but of course failing when Harry tickled his side.

By the time he & Harry were leaving the kitchen, Phoebe and Daisy were in the living room with their bags, ready for Will to drive them to Sandra's.

The man took a few moments to get ready for the party, but when he was ready, he bid goodbye to his son and Harry, the girls wished their brother a happy birthday, and then they were being escorted out to the car.

**\---**

"Happy birthday, babes!" Perrie greeted Louis with the tightest of hugs the second he walked in the door of Matty & Sky's. He hugged back just as tight regardless and his bubbly laugh filled the room, causing everyone inside to subconsciously smile with him.

"Still got a ways to go before you're allowed to have one of these but I promise not to tell," Matty handed Louis a beer when he pulled away from Perrie.

Louis laughed when Matty lightly punched his shoulder; just another one of those little things that made him feel like he belonged with these friends.

In fact throughout the night, (while Harry was sticking to joints and Louis & the guys were damn near drinking their livers away) Louis began to realize that these misfits and the stoned kid on the couch were part of his home.

Louis knew that people technically couldn't be classified as a 'home' but in the metaphorical sense, _definitely_.

His blood relatives would eternally be his home, but Louis cared so much about the people in that house. Like distant relatives that he hadn't spoken to his entire life but now that he had, he hoped they'd always be there.

And then his fathers words about school would come to mind and his future would begin to worry him and he'd grab himself another beer. Then when he cleared some of those thoughts from his head, he joined Harry on the couch while their friends started a game of beer pong.

Harry grinned so big when Louis sat next to him, Louis thought his stomach may explode with how many butterflies were flitting around inside it.

"Gimme," Louis sort of hopped to scoot closer to his boyfriend who handed him the joint he'd been holding; his third one of the night in fact, but that was practically nothing to Harry who had built up quite the tolerance while he was healing.

Louis took a few drags, coughing slightly, but not as badly as he had the very first time around. The two of them passed it back and forth until Harry put it out.

"When d'you want to head back, sugar?" he asked as Louis tucked himself in the slot between Harry's arm and torso.

"In a little bit. I don't know if I'll be able to get off the couch for a few minutes.." Louis said with the most serious look on his face and it made Harry start to crack up. Louis laughed loudly as well and it took them a bit to calm down and catch their breath.

It wouldn't have seemed all that funny if they were sober, but both were far from in that moment, which made the smallest of things seem absolutely hilarious.

"I'm having so much fun," Louis sighed against Harry's chest.

"Night ain't over yet," Harry slid his hand down the curve of Louis' side to slip it into the back pocket of his jeans. He gave a good squeeze and Louis' grin only widened.

"You spoil me," he thought aloud.

"As often as I can," Harry kissed his forehead and laughed happily when he glanced up to see their friends joining them in the living area.

Josh was carrying a cake, Perrie a zippo, and when Louis saw what they were doing, his jaw was dropping with excitement.

"What?" he gaped, his hands seeming to glue to his cheeks that began to ache with how wide he'd been smiling that night. Then Josh was setting it down on the coffee table in front of him. "No way, guys. You shouldn't have."

Perrie leaned over to light the candle that had been placed between the '1' and '9' that had been piped on with blue icing.  
"You can't expect to have a birthday party with no cake," she laughed, a bit tipsy as she waved Sky and Matty to come closer to the table so they could all sing to Louis.

As the whole room broke out into song, Louis was stuck between wanting to cry out of pure joy and laughing, so he did a little of both.

Sky was laughing too much to even sing at that point, so instead she moved to pull Louis off the couch and hug him tightly.

When the drunken trio that was Josh, Perrie, and Matty had finished singing, they created a group hug and then Harry was standing add onto it.

"I love you guys so much," Louis said when they broke the hug, so Harry wrapped an arm around his shoulders, rubbing his arm affectionately. And maybe Louis was just overemotional because of his crossfade, but that didn't mean what he said wasn't true.   
"Thank you for all of this."

"Of course, Lou," Perrie replied modestly, before gesturing back to the cake.   
"You gotta blow out your candle."

"Oh, yeah," Louis sat back down and leaned in toward the table in order to blow out the little flame. The room clapped for him and Sky snapped a photo from the opposite side of the table.

"Babe, can you grab a knife from the kitchen?" she asked Matty, who immediately moved to follow her request.

Louis watched Perrie pull the candle from the icing and set it aside and then the next thing he knew everything tasted like buttercream because his face had been pushed into the surface of the cake.

He pulled back and wiped his eyes, looking around at a giggling Perrie and the shocked set of greasers behind her.   
He licked his lips and simply stated, "didn't know a number could taste so good," before proceeding to lick the icing off of his fingers and Sky managed to catch another photo.

**\---**

"_You're my favorite group of drunken bastards_."

A previous quote from Josh seemed to echo in Louis' head as he stared down at the half empty liquor bottles in his lap; the bottles Matty let them take. He was sitting passenger side in Harry's Riviera with the night air whipping through his messy hair and making his eyes even glassier than they already were and Louis felt _alive_.

Harry had stopped smoking after he and Louis finished that joint so he could drive them both back to Louis' place safely.

Louis got cleaned up and they all ate cake and played a few more games before the clock struck eleven and Louis announced that they were about to head back to his place and pass out. Sky had wished Louis a happy birthday and headed to bed a bit before they left, which made him feel like less of a party pooper.

But from the looks of Josh pouring more shots for Perrie, Matty, and himself, Louis & Harry were sure their friends would be fine without them.

So Louis sat patiently and quietly during the ride and hummed along to the soft songs on the radio even if he didn't quite know them. 

"Harry, I gotta pee," he blew air past his lips as he watched streetlights come and go.

"We're almost to your place, then you can pee," Harry replied with a head shake, always fond of the silliness that came with Louis' insobriety. It didn't happen often, but when it did, good memories were sure to be made.

Louis gasped then, his hands anxiously cupping his own cheeks again, "you think my dad's back yet?"

"It _is_ kind of late," Harry pursed his lips, running a hand through his hair.

Louis whined, "but we were gonna fu--" before Harry cut off the rest of the word.

"Lou, he's probably gonna be there."

"Man.." Louis sighed, sitting up straighter and flinching slightly when the bottles in his lap clinked together.   
"I was looking forward to not holding back.." he said disappointedly as they turned onto Louis' block.

"I don't see his car," Harry stated when they pulled up to the house.

"All the lights are still off, too," Louis pointed out with a bright expression when he moved to open his door and get out.

"Whoa, wait, let me grab those first," Harry reached for the bottles before Louis could drop them on the sidewalk. After getting out and locking the car, he followed Louis into the house.

"Hello?" Louis called out into the darkness before turning the lights on. The house was exactly as they left it.   
When nobody answered back, he turned to Harry and smiled dopily, "it's just us."

"For how long, though?" Harry chuckled lightly as he carried the bottles into the kitchen. Louis skipped along behind him and watched him pick a bottle.

"You wanna sit around to find out or do you wanna do what we can _while_ we can?" Louis asked as Harry took a swig and grimaced at the burn.

"Think I have enough time to catch up?" Harry asked curiously, shaking the bottle so Louis knew what he meant.

Louis glanced it and said, "catch up while I pee and change into jammies."

Then he was leaning over the counter top for a liquor-y kiss before running off to his room.

Harry wanted to make a joke about how his clothes were coming off anyways, but Louis was already gone.

Within the time it took for Louis to change and return, Harry had drank half a bottle. He didn't know where the cups were yet so he ducked his head under the faucet of the kitchen sink to drink some cold water. Even if it wasn't the best chaser, at least the coldness sort of helped.

He wiped his face afterward and turned when he heard the lock on the front door clicking. Then he watched Louis walk into the kitchen with an amused look on his face. He was wearing these grey sleep shorts and a simple t-shirt, but he still looked like a million bucks.

"The cups are there," he pointed to the cupboard next to him.   
"I also should've told you there's stuff in here to chase with," he walked over and placed his hand on the fridge.

Harry shrugged, saying, "that's okay," as he approached his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist. Their foreheads touched for a moment before Louis stood on his toes for a deep kiss.

Harry bent down slightly to lift Louis off the tile. He wrapped his legs around Harry's waist and hummed when he was set up on the granite counter top.

"Is this the part where you make me feel like a king?" he asked with an endearing grin, making Harry laugh a little.

"Sure is," Harry answered, pulling Louis' shirt up and over his head. He set it aside and stood between his boyfriend's legs.

Louis' fingers were in Harry's hair the next second and the older boy felt his skin flare up with goosebumps at that; the smallest of touches. Even if Louis couldn't exactly tangle his fingers in it, he could still gently scratch at his scalp and pull at his roots the way Harry moaned for.

"How are we feeling tonight, sweetheart?"

Louis knew exactly what he meant by that, a playful grin spreading across his lips.   
"A bit like a spoiled brat.." he put on a little pout, but his happiness could still be seen through it.

The pad of Harry's thumb softly pressed at Louis' pouty bottom lip.   
"Hm.. and what does my little brat need right now?"

"You," he whined, pulling him as close as possible. Their lips crashed together and their chests were flush but Louis needed to be closer. His small hands tugged Harry's t-shirt from the waist of his jeans in order for him to be able to run his palms over Harry's incredibly addictive skin. Every little flex of muscle could be felt even if he was somewhat distracted by Harry's mouth.

Harry's hands were on Louis' bare thighs and the second they broke their chain of lingering kisses, he was lifting Louis from the counter and letting him cling to him like a koala as he walked over to the stairs.

When they made it to the bedroom, Harry was laying Louis down on the center of the mattress like he was a precious glass sculpture that would break if not handled with proper fragility and care. 

But Harry knew that was far from the case. Louis knew what he liked and by then, he was confident enough in himself to ask for it.

He closed his eyes and let Harry undress him all the way down to his boxers. He moved his body however and wherever Harry needed him to and sighed happily when he felt his hands squeezing at his thighs.

"D'you have any lotion?" the elder asked curiously.

"Top drawer," Louis pointed to his desk and he let his eyes close and rest as Harry went to retrieve it.

Then the mattress dipped a little with the weight of Harry's knee and Louis' leg was in the air. Harry's lotion-y palms worked skillfully over his calf, then his thigh before switching to the other leg.

There was a permanent smiled etched into Louis' features and he couldn't help the sounds he made when Harry was finished because he pulled Louis closer by his hips and turned him over, a hand clapping down against his ass.

"_Ah_!" Louis giggled, feeling the sting of it even through his boxers.

Then when his boxers were off and Harry's face was buried in his cheeks, Louis was going to cry because it felt so good and he could finally focus on nothing but Harry instead of trying his best to be quiet. His face was in the sheets and his hips were in the air and Harry was kneeling on the mattress behind him.

"Oh, my God.. Oh, my _God_," Louis breathed out, his back arched sinfully and fingers gripping the sheets. His moans were high-pitched and slightly raspy but _loud_. So very loud. Harry's ears were in heaven and let's not even get started on his _tongue_.

Louis' hand moved to his own cock, his fingertips teasing at the head and coaxing precome from it. Normally Harry would've replaced Louis' hand with his own, but he let Louis do as he wished this time, focusing on the profile of his beautiful face.

His lips were parted, eyes closed blissfully. Every once in a while he'd close them tighter and rake his teeth over his lower lip and Harry's jeans grew tighter by the minute.

And had it not been for the way his dick was chafing on his zipper, Harry would've ate Louis out for another two hours. But the restriction was too much and when Harry would remember that Will could be home at any time, it would put a bit of pep in his step.

Louis panted quietly after he felt Harry pull away and without the older boy's hands holding his hips up, Louis let his knees slip so he could lay flat on the sheets. His eyes remained closed until he heard Harry's belt buckle hit the carpet.

His smile spread on his face faster than he could turn to look at Harry. When he did, he barely managed not to drool because standing there (completely naked by then, mind you) was his scarred, tattooed lover with his hooded green eyes and a frisky smile to match his own.

Then he was curling his finger and Louis found himself obeying, shamelessly crawling on his hands and knees to the foot of the bed. He met Harry there and immediately his jaw was being cupped by his massive hand. Harry guided him upward onto his knees in order to taste his lips and then his tongue.

Louis' hands couldn't get enough of Harry's skin. His blunt nails dug into the boy's back, all the way up his spine, before his fingertips were toying with the wisps of hair at Harry's nape.

He squeaked when one of Harry's hands wrapped around him, gently working at his cock before sliding his own right up beside it. The tightness of his fist created the best kind of friction on it's own, but _this_ had Louis trembling.

They'd never done _this_ before. What was _this_?Louis wondered.

He could tell Harry was smug because of the way he smirked against the corner of his mouth.

"Harry, you're such a little sh-shit," Louis gasped as he rolled his hips upward, but he was still smiling.

"You love it," Harry mumbled against his throat before moving to suck a bruise onto his collarbone. His free hand was in Louis' hair, carefully tilting his head to make it easier to mark his skin where he wanted.

"Uh huh--" he whined out when Harry's hand tightened ever so slightly and Louis came all over it. His knees began to shake so Harry quickly guided him backwards onto the bed, laying between his legs and kissing from his parted lips to his tummy.

He gasped again when he felt Harry's fingertips between his legs, all of which were slick with his come which made things so much easier (and a lot hotter, too).

"You're so fucking sensitive," Harry thought aloud and it wasn't an insult, he thought it was amazing and he loved to make sure Louis knew that.

"I-It's just _you_, I swear," Louis' voice was completely wrecked with the way he was shaking.  
"Believe me, I'm about as s-stubborn as they come. I don't know what you've done to me, S-Styles."

Harry chuckled and Louis could feel his chest rumble against his thigh. In the same breath, Harry pressed his middle finger into Louis, making him sigh out a moan.

"You just love to t-tease me," Louis commented, feeling like he would sound too eager if he asked Harry for another finger so quickly. But then a second later, Harry's ring finger was joining his middle like an answered prayer.

"I love to make you feel good," Harry corrected, gently curling his wrist upward as his fingertips pressed into Louis. "And you deserve mind blowing orgasms one hundred precent of the time," he added before licking a painfully slow stripe up the underside of Louis' dick that was already laying thick and heavy again over his tummy.

"You continue to spoil me rotten."

"Someone as sweet as you couldn't possibly go rotten," Harry removed his fingers, about to move to grab the condom from his wallet when Louis' hands reached out to grab at his shoulders.

Harry stayed put then, letting Louis pull him down until his hands were on the mattress to either side of his head.   
"Just you," Louis pleaded, his pupils blown and hair a mess. "Please.. j-just you," he reached up to cup Harry's face in his hands. Green melted into blue and Louis hoped Harry could feel how much love and happiness was radiating off of him.

As he was pulled down into a kiss, Harry reached down to line himself up and slowly slip inside of Louis.   
"Christ--" Harry hissed, not quite used to fucking Louis without a condom because it didn't happen very often.

Before Louis could even open his mouth to tell Harry to move, he was grinding his hips against Louis' thighs.

"So full," Louis hiccuped, thriving off of the pressure of it all. "H-Harry, please.."

"Please, what?" Harry whispered, neither of them caring about the gentle 'thumps' of the headboard against the wall.

"I want you to c-come," Louis said, beginning to rock down onto Harry's hips.   
"Use me, baby," he offered but it sounded more like he was begging.

"But tonight's about you..?"

"I get off on you, Harry," Louis whined, "f-feeling you throbbing inside me? Watching you fall apart above me? Sometimes I come just--_ah_\--thinking about it!"

"I've usually got more control but you make it so difficult."

"H-How so?"

"You make every time feel like the first," Harry admitted, hoping that didn't sound cheesy. Instead of dwelling on that however, he pushed Louis' thighs back until his feet were in the air and watched himself sink and drag in and out of Louis.

The younger cried out at the same time the headboard smacked against the wall, making him giggle when it happened again and again. He didn't know what was so funny to him. There was the anxiety of being caught, but the thrill of getting away with it seemed to be messing with Louis' conscience.

In that heated moment with Harry dipping in and out of him so nicely, Louis couldn't bring himself to care much if the bed frame was chipping at the paint on the wall behind it or if Harry's fingertips were bruising his thighs.

He felt a little strange because of it, but the pain always felt so _good_ to him. He could see why Harry always loved having his hair pulled.

"Look at you," Harry bit his lip, putting Louis' knees together and holding them down against his chest.   
"Tight," he grunted, "and wet--and so _fucking_ _thick._"

"Y-You're one to talk about thick--" was Louis' rebuttal through his high-pitched moans and Harry couldn't help but crack a smile at that. "Always make me feel so f-full."

The older boy hummed, changing the pace in order to slam into him before slowly drawing back out. The heavy drag of his cock reignited the fire in the pit of Louis' stomach and the torturous slowness of it all made it so much easier for the fire to grow and spread throughout his veins until his legs were shaking with it.

"L-Let me hold you," Louis' voice broke after a moment, unable to do much with his body folded like it was.

So Harry let go of his legs, both of them falling with bent knees beside Harry's hips. Louis immediately clung to the boy's chest, nails digging into his shoulder blades because of how good the different angle felt. 

"F-Fuck," Harry's voice shook for the first time that night, making Louis' heart pound even harder against his boyfriend's tattooed chest. Like Harry said, he usually had more control, but it seemed Louis was wrecking Harry just as much as he was being wrecked _by_ him. 

It definitely fluffed Louis' ego.

Harry's brows furrowed in absolute pleasure and a raspy moan echoed around the room as he came for the first time that night.

"You're so b-beautiful, Harry," Louis gushed, feeling the warm wetness deep inside of him. It was mostly the alcohol making him want to pour his heart out, but a drunken man's words are a sober man's thoughts.   
"I'm so glad I m-make you feel good."

"So much better than 'good'," Harry shook his head, wiping a tiny bead of sweat from his brow and carefully drawing out of him.   
He watched his come drip from Louis' hole onto the sheets and, "that's so fucking hot."

Louis sat up on his elbows and they both just stared at each other for a moment and nothing but the sound of their panting breaths could be heard until Louis spoke up.

"You're not bored of me yet, are you?" he asked with this smirk on his face that said '_I could do this for hours_'.

"There's never a dull moment with you," Harry ran his fingertips along the insides of Louis' thighs, making the younger boy's cock twitch between his legs. He was aching to come again, Harry could tell, so he decided to try something different.

He stood up and crossed the room to open the door. Louis was quick to sit up and cover himself before realizing there was no point because nobody else was home. 

It was just a habit.

"You coming?" Harry asked with an amused expression on his face as he shamelessly strolled down the hallway and to the stairs.

When Louis joined him on the ground floor, he was met with a deep kiss and a strong embrace. It was like the two were newlyweds christening their new house after returning from their honeymoon.   
Especially when Louis was being bent over the edge of the closed piano lid.

It was the perfect height (if you asked him) because he didn't have to stand on his toes in order to be properly fucked over it.

Harry slipped back inside of him with ease, gripping Louis' hips in order to pull his body back against him.   
"God, that ass," Harry growled, smacking a hand down against one of the cheeks.

"Ah!" Louis cried out, knees threatening to buckle beneath him as Harry drilled into him from behind.   
"Hit me again--" Louis breathed.

"Hm?" Harry panted, unable to understand him at first.

"Spank me again," he whined.

"What's the magic word?" Harry smirked, just wanting to edge him along that much further.

"Harry, p-please! Again!"

When Harry's palm slapped against his skin, Louis couldn't help but come right then and there. All he could think afterwards was a dazed mixture of: '_holy shit_' and '_thank God we're not on the carpet_'.

His knees finally buckled, causing Harry to slip out of him, but he managed to catch Louis before he could drop. He was shaking in Harry's arms as he was carried from the lid to the keys. 

Louis' palms pressed against the ivory as he stood before them, a loud, jumbled, and drawn out note carrying throughout the house. Harry's fingertips gently traced over Louis' spine, down, down, down, so he could press his middle and ring fingers inside of him. 

Louis shivered at the feeling, any movement his hands made creating a new sound from the piano. Harry's fingers were knuckle deep and unmoving except the gentle flex of his wrist that made his fingertips brush over Louis' prostate.

"Fuck!" Louis shouted, his eyes glassy with tears of absolute pleasure. 

"That it, baby? That the spot?" Harry whispered and when he nodded, Harry kept at it, determined to make him come again.

"Mhm," he whined, bottom lip sucked harshly between his teeth. He looked down to watch his tip slowly leak, a tiny droplet falling to the hardwood floor. 

"You're so wet, Lou," Harry added in the same soft voice, his free hand moving to help Louis along. "Can't wait to fill you up again."

Shortly after Harry's thumb circled over his swollen tip, Louis was coming for a third time, surprising both of them. Louis felt a little embarrassed because of how quickly it happened, but at the same time he loved the fact that Harry could even make him do that in the first place.

Harry once again lifted and carried the overstimulated boy, but into the living room this time, and sat down on the couch before pulling him onto his lap.

Harry's chest was flush against Louis' back, his palms and lips roaming his golden skin. Once he had enough energy to hold himself up again, Louis sat up a little and reached to push Harry back inside of him.

"_Ooh_.. _Christ_," he breathed when Harry bottomed out again and his tip was pressing even harder against his sweet spot than his fingers were before.

Harry did most of the work after that however, gripping Louis' hips and guiding him up and down his shaft. But eventually Louis' body was laying slack against Harry's chest, his head resting on the older boy's shoulder while he slowly rolled his hips upward.

"I love you so much," Harry whispered against the shell of Louis' ear, one of his hands moving to grip his cock. He didn't even move it, he just let the slow rolling of his hips push Louis up into his fist.

"I love you, Harry," Louis gushed and his legs felt completely like jelly by then, but he sort of loved it.

"Happy birthday, pretty boy," Harry cooed, the fingertips of his free hand sliding up to brush over Louis' nipples which Harry had also discovered to be quite sensitive.   
"You've been taking me so well all night."

"Love it when you praise me," Louis' hips bucked forward, desperate for more friction.   
"Can't wait to make you come again," he admitted, turning his head in order to kiss and nip at Harry's jawline.

"Mm," Harry groaned, tossing his head back and picking up the pace a bit. Louis felt that familiar warmth again because he could tell Harry was close, so close to coming undone again.

"P-Please come with me.."

"M'close, Lou," Harry replied as a warning, his breathing uneven.

"Me, too," Louis swore he saw stars each time Harry filled him up and it seemed like no time before he was spilling into him for the second time that night.   
"O-_Oh_!" Louis moaned as the feeling of being wet and full again pushed him over the edge for the fourth and final time that night even if all he could manage was a few tiny droplets.

"Sh-Shit," Harry gripped Louis' hips and held him down around him as they both rode out their highs, Louis' nails digging crescents into Harry's thighs.

Before either of them could catch their breath (or even blink, it seemed) they heard the sound of a car door shutting and then panic set in.

Louis peaked out of the blinds and gasped, "it's my dad," with wide blue eyes.   
The man could walk in any second and there they were, completely nude, sitting _right next to the front door_.

"Fuck!"

"Umm.." Louis looked around the room, thinking fast.   
"The blankets!" he pointed to the pile of folded comforters on the couch opposite of them.

Harry quickly reached for one and opened it up before covering their bare bodies all the way up to their necks.

"The door is still locked," Louis whisper-yelled, pointing to it and biting his lip anxiously as Harry reached to turn the deadbolt and unlock it.

Within seconds it was opening and in walked a chipper looking Willam Tomlinson. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were glittering with excitement.

"Oh, hey boys," he greeted when he saw them. "Didn't expect you to still be awake."

"Yeah.. figured we'd wait up and make sure you made it back safely," Louis replied casually, hoping his father wouldn't be too suspicious as to why they were so far under the blanket.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that," Will waved it off politely and no matter what the man couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"You seem like you had a lot of fun," Louis commented and Will seemed to tense up slightly before sighing happily.

"Actually, I.. I met someone," the red of the man's cheeks darkened and Louis' brows raised in surprise. But before he could ask, Will said, "we can talk about it in the morning, though. I'm beat. Goodnight, boys."

"Night, dad," Louis chuckled slightly as the man sauntered over to the staircase.

"Goodnight, Will," Harry added and once the man's bedroom door clicked shut, Harry was pushing the blanket off of them.   
"That was way too fucking close," he laughed.

"You're telling me? I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Louis replied, the both of them making a quick dash up to Louis' bedroom and closing the door behind them.

"All I could think was: '_please don't have the sudden urge to play piano_'," Harry said as they gathered up their clothes and started to get dressed.

"Oh, shit," Louis cursed, remembering the mess he'd made in front of the piano. He quickly pulled on his boxers before sprinting out of the room and back down the steps to clean up his mess before anyone else could find it.

All Harry could do was laugh fondly.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Run away with me."

"_I told you that no matter what you did I'd be by your side, 'cause I'm a ride or die whether you fail or fly. Well, shit at least you tried_."

**-Blue Jeans by, Lana Del Rey**

**\---**

** _[1960]_ **

The beginning of a new decade can be strange for a lot of people, but it was downright horrible for one Louis Tomlinson.

After he turned nineteen, Louis felt that things were beginning to go South for him in many different ways. People were treating him differently, as if they knew something he didn't. Even people he had never seen in his life gave him strange looks when he passed them on the street. Students would cuss and wish death upon him as they walked home from school.

One day a guy even threw his drink at him from his car while Louis was waiting for the street car. He shouted something along the lines of, 'not in my fucking town', before speeding off.

Instead of worrying himself sick about how people felt about him, he tried to spend a lot of his free time thinking about college and his major before deciding that not much meant more to him than helping others. It may have seemed a bit strange, considering everyone in town seemed to hate his guts.

Maybe it was the nurturing side of him from taking care of his siblings that helped him decide, but he knew then that he wanted to become a therapist of some sort. All he knew for sure was that he wanted to work specifically with the youth in his community.

However, on February 1st, his hopes and wishes went right out the door as he stared down at yet another college rejection letter, this one from California State University, Los Angeles. There was no specific reason listed as to why he was rejected and it made Louis feel even more confused and frustrated. Most people are told why they're rejected.. right?

Because the school was flooded with too many applications or because you simply weren't good enough, but Louis had absolutely nothing to go on. So how was he supposed to know what he was doing wrong?

Cal State was Louis' sixth attempt at making his father happy and bettering his life and it was starting to seem as if the universe was against him again.

Louis stood on the front porch steps of Matty & Sky's, staring down at the letter and rereading the printed words over and over again.

'_We regret to inform you that we cannot offer you a place in the class of 1960._'

He crumpled up the paper and felt like throwing it as far as he could but he imagined that it wouldn't make it very far. So to save himself the embarrassment, Louis let himself into the house and sighed when he closed the door, leaning against it in defeat.

"What's got you so down?" Sky asked from her spot in the living area.

"Just these stupid college apps.." he replied, "I keep getting rejected and they don't even tell me why."

The blonde's brows furrowed at that, "what? When mine got rejected a while back, I was told why. They had too many applications or some shit. I think that's just a nice way of them saying, 'hey kid, you suck'."

Louis shook his head, "it wouldn't be as frustrating if this wasn't my sixth try. Sixth!" he sauntered over and plopped down on the couch beside her. He carelessly tossed the balled up application onto the coffee table.

Sky reached for it, unfolding it and reading the same simple line that had been stuck in Louis' brain since he first read it.

"Seventh time's the charm?" she tried to cheer him up a little, but he just shook his head. "Did you flunk your way through high school or something?"

"I've gotten straight A's since kindergarten."

"Okay, Einstein," she laughed, unable to imagine the kind of stress he must've put himself through in order to be that consistent with his grades.   
"Do you think it might have something to do with the threats you've been getting?"

Louis' expression fell from his face and he stared blankly for a moment, as if processing and putting the pieces together. It made perfect sense.   
"I think that could have a lot to do with it, now that you mention it," he said, hands coming to stressfully rub at his face.

Sky frowned at that, hoping she was wrong as she patted Louis' knee.   
"It'll blow over soon enough. People can assume whatever they want to."

"When are the boys gonna be home?" Louis asked her curiously instead of adding to the previous subject. Having not had the chance to talk with Harry before he left for work, he didn't even get a chance to tell the guy 'happy birthday'. 

"I wanna do something for Harry today."

"Think Matty's stuck for a few more hours, but Harry should be home the same time as usual," Sky answered before adding, "he's never really been too keen on partying for his birthday, though."

"Oh?" Louis raised a brow because he had no idea. "Do you have any idea what he might want to do instead?"

She shrugged honestly.   
"For his nineteenth, he spent most of his time in his room," she gestured towards the guest room that Harry had made his own over the last few years.   
"His family was still real bad then."

Louis nodded in understanding, feeling a slight pain in his chest when he remembered all of the shit Harry's father put their family through. The bruises and the cuts that Harry always tried to hide, but Louis always saw and it was always blamed on some stupid fist fight he supposedly got into.

The sound of the front door swinging open shook Louis from his thoughts, both he & Sky turning to observe a very angry looking Harry who had just stormed inside.

"Whoa, what's with you?" Sky asked and Louis thought she was brave for it, but Harry didn't scare her. Nothing seemed to scare her, in fact.

Harry tossed his wallet and keys onto the coffee table, not answering Sky's question even as he turned to push the door shut. He truly didn't mean to slam it, but it closed pretty hard, making Louis jump.

"Rough day at work?" she persisted.

"You know, I _would_ call it a day. If I actually got to finish," Harry replied as he dug in the fridge for something. Louis suspected a beer.   
"I got fired," he announced flatly.

"What?" Sky gaped, glancing at Louis to find that his jaw was also hanging open.

"What the hell for?" Louis spoke up.

Harry shook his head when he joined them in the living room again. "I would kind of rather not say.."

"Did you do something stupid? Why were you doing stupid shit?" Sky asked, mainly trying to coax the reason out of him.

"I wasn't! I was just--" Harry replied honestly, taking a second to breathe so he wouldn't raise his voice, "I was just about to start on the next car and in walks my boss with this fuckin' look on his face; like he knows what he's about to do and simply doesn't care.."

"What did he say?" Louis' brows furrowed.

"He--" Harry cut himself off again, wishing he didn't have to repeat what the guy said but he knew he'd have to eventually, "..said he 'couldn't have a faggot representing his company'."

Louis' face shifted through several emotions before settling on a somber one. He was caught off guard and had no words.

Sky seemed to have quite a few she could pick out, but Louis simply shook his head and looked toward the door. She clenched her jaw and collected her things, understanding that this was a matter for the two boys to talk about. She reached out and rubbed Harry's shoulder comfortingly on her way out, before leaving them in a tense silence.

Louis' arm was wrapped tightly around his own waist in an attempt to keep the emotions in the pit of his stomach. He moved himself closer to Harry, recognizing the look of defeat on his face.

There was anger and resentment underneath it all, but overall Harry looked done. When the elder sat next to him, Louis held his jaw lightly, moving Harry's face to look at his own.   
"We both knew this was going to happen at some point. No matter how careful we were being," Louis sighed. His eyes were burning, but they somehow remained fierce.

"How the hell did he found out, though?" Harry replied and his voice sounded so confused and sad. "I've been working in that God damned auto shop for years and nothing changed when we got together. But now, several months later, he suddenly knows? Somebody's gotta be talkin'."

Louis let his hand fall from Harry's face and sat back.   
"I-I'm not sure. Our friends know, but they wouldn't do that. Our families know, but it's the same with them. No one we've told would purposely out us like that."

"This just doesn't make any sense!" Harry's voice raised slightly at the end of his sentence, but he had tilted his head back as if pretending he was shouting it to God. He took another deep breath and looked down at his boyfriend again, still managing to give him an apologetic look even with his angry eyes.   
"Sorry.. I know you hate yelling," he reached for Louis' hand and let their fingers tangle together.

"I understand," Louis replied with a sympathetic half smile, "it's frustrating. But you're not the only one."

Harry raised a brow at that.

"I keep getting rejected," he clarified, handing over his rejection letter from Cal State.

Harry unfolded it and read it over just as Sky had when he first showed her.   
"Why? It doesn't tell you why?" he asked curiously.

"None of them have."

"Them? How many have you sent in?"

"That was my sixth try," Louis answered, "it's like the whole town knows.."

"What makes you say that?"

"The dirty looks I get from strangers and.. and the threats.. and sometimes people have even thrown things at me."

Louis could see the rage behind Harry's emerald eyes and he understood completely because he felt just as angry. But when he tried to think of a solution to their problem, he simply couldn't find one.

"Baby.. why are you just now telling me about all of this?" Harry asked, brows furrowed but voice soft as silk, his thumb tracing shapes over Louis' knuckles.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal when it first happened.." Louis shrugged, "people get rejected, it happens. But then all this shit from people I've never seen in my life?"

"What kind of threats are you getting, Lou?" Harry asked as calmly as possible even though he was sure once Louis told him, he would feel like going on a rampage.

Louis looked down at their hands, his other one moving to rest on top of Harry's.   
"It's not important," he decided was a better answer. "Well, it is, but it isn't productive. Doesn't help us get anywhere."

"Of course it does, we can report this."

"You really think the police are gonna help us?" Louis asked and it was probably a little harsh, but it was the truth.   
"Yes, hello Officer, me and my greaser boyfriend are receiving death threats because we're the gayest of the gays, please help."

Harry shook his head with a sigh, "there has to be something we can do.."

"I don't think there is this time, love.." Louis said reluctantly.

"But what if they come after your dad, too? Or Josh? Or even Matty? We can't cost them their jobs like that."

"I don't know, Harry," Louis sighed, "if you figure it out, let me know."

Harry glanced from Louis' rejection letter to his car parked out front and then back to Louis' face.

"Run away with me."

Louis' brows furrowed, "what? I--"

"Run away with me," Harry repeated, scooting closer to look him in the eye. "We'll hop in the car and just drive."

"Just drive?"

"As far as we can and when we're out of gas, we fill her up again and keep going."

"Harry.." Louis said sadly.

"Louis, I have _nothing_," Harry's voice broke. "Nothing but you.."

"What about our families? What about our friends?"

"I think we're old enough to leave our nests behind," he replied and it was true. Louis knew this as well. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with his family forever.   
"As for them?" Harry continued, gesturing around the house as if talking about their gang.  
"They've taken care of me for years when they didn't have to and I don't think I could ever repay them enough, no matter how long I worked or how hard. So isn't it about time that I get off their backs?"

Louis thought it all over, what would happen if he were to pack his bags and leave. It was one thing to spend a few weeks at his friend's house about ten minutes away from home. It was a completely different thing to run away and with the way Harry was talking, Louis was sure they'd be leaving the entire state of California and everything in it behind.

"Lou.." Harry's voice brought him back from his thoughts. "Please say something."

"I.. I don't know what to say."

"Will you at least think about it?" he asked hopefully.   
"I know it's a lot for me to ask of you but I wouldn't ask if I wasn't serious, if it wasn't so important."

"I'll think about it," Louis nodded and he wasn't sure if he should worry about the fact that the thought of running away with Harry didn't scare him nearly as much as he thought it would.

If anything it was a win/win situation. Wherever they would end up, they would have a fresh start, a clean slate to be whoever and whatever they wanted. Nobody would know them or their secrets, therefore nobody would be able to out them or threaten them without consequence.

The only con Louis could weigh out among the numerous pros was:   
How the hell would he tell his family?


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis says goodbye.

"_Just let me know, I'll be at the door, at the door, hoping you'll come around. Just let me know, I'll be on the floor, on the floor. Maybe we'll work it out_."

**-Meet Me In The Hallway by, Harry Styles**

**\---**

After Harry's suggestion to run away, Louis spent a few days with his family to try and figure things out. Even if he knew that it was really just so he could spend a bit of time with them before his inevitable leaving. He didn't know how long he'd be gone or where and neither did Harry but he _did_ know that he had made his mind up.

He was actually going to do it. He was going to leave his family, his friends, and his entire state behind in order to start a new life for himself and protect the people he cared about from being brought down with him. He wasn't going to let his dad get fired because of him or Josh or Matty. And he wasn't going to let his relatives, especially his still underage siblings, be harassed for it.

It was bad enough that Harry had gotten fired. And had it not been for Josh telling their boss that he had no idea about Harry's sexuality, Josh would've been laid off as well.

Harry understood why Josh did it and if the situation was reversed, Harry would've done the same so there were no hard feelings regardless of how many times Josh needlessly apologized to him for it.

Harry spent about a week preparing. His clothes were packed, his valuables safely contained, and by the time he was finished, the room looked as if it had never been inhabited in the first place. 

And that was just his room at Matty & Sky's.

His original bedroom at his mother's house was ransacked all the same, but the box under his bed was what took Harry's attention away from everything else.

Anything he owned that somehow had to do with Louis was in that box; the napkin note from the diner, his ticket stub from Elvis, anywhere he went with the boy, he collected something as a souvenir.

Little did he know, Louis had been doing the same thing. In Louis' valuables sat the stuffed lion Harry won him from the fair, the poem Harry wrote him in Vegas, and _something else_ that had yet to be gifted.

During the heat of a discussion he and Harry had on the elder's birthday, Louis had forgotten to give it to him. So he figured once they'd stopped, once they'd found whatever safe place it was they were trying to find, he would gift it to him then.

But for now it would rest in the confines of his backpack.

On the day they had planned to leave, Louis heard the telephone ring downstairs just as he had finished zipping it up and when the ringing ceased, he knew someone must've answered it. He pushed his backpack and his suitcases under his bed, hiding them even further by pulling the edges of his comforter from between his mattress and box spring, letting them drape down to the floor.

Louis jumped a little when he heard a knock at his bedroom door, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves before moving to open it.

It was just Will.

"Harry's on the phone for you," he informed with a smile, the glint in his eyes telling Louis that Will genuinely liked the boy; that it wasn't just a front to keep his son happy.

Louis nodded a thanks and the two walked downstairs together before splitting off to do different things. Louis picked up the phone from where it was waiting on the kitchen counter. "Hey, baby," Louis greeted, tangling his index finger in the curly cord of the landline.

"Hi, sweetheart," Louis could practically feel the adoration in Harry's voice pouring through the phone and straight into his heart.  
"I'm calling from my mom's place," Harry explained. "Nobody's home right now so I've been packing up my old room. Lot's of old stuff in there.." he chuckled nostalgically as he glanced around his own kitchen.

There was a steady silence until Harry continued hesitantly, "..have you decided?"

Louis nodded before remembering that Harry couldn't exactly see the gesture through the telephone, so he spoke, but quietly, "my bags are under my bed."

There was another silence as Harry waited for Louis to continue.

"Yes," he answered the initial question. "I-I'm ready."

"You're stuttering, Lou," Harry pointed out before whispering almost desperately, "_please_ tell me you're not having second thoughts.."

Louis glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody had joined his company before replying just as quietly, "I'm just.. sad."

"Me, too," Harry sympathized.

"Sad that we have to do this in the first place," the younger shook his head.   
"That I have to leave them all behind," his voice broke, but he kept as calm as possible.

Harry didn't need any names to know that Louis was talking about his family.   
"I know, Lou," he nodded, his own eyes watering a bit, "but it's for the best, yeah? The people in this town are relentless. We can't let them hurt our families as well."

"I know, I know," Louis sniffled and Harry felt his heart break just a tiny bit more.

"Wherever we end up, we'll get you into school. I'll find a new job, get us some more money. We'll--"

"We'll make it work," Louis nodded, saying it more to convince himself than anything else. Even if he didn't really need much convincing. He was pretty sold.

"We will," Harry confirmed with determination. "I love you.. _so_ much."

"I love you too, Harry," Louis replied and for some reason, this time around, it made tears slip down his cheeks.

"You have a way to sneak out?"

Louis thought back to all the times he helped Lottie (voluntarily on his part or not) escape. "Mhm," he nodded, wiping his cheeks. He had never thought that one day _he'd_ be the one climbing out of that window instead.

"There's no chance of you getting caught, is there?"

Louis shook his head, "no. I'll be fine. B-But we should go early, before sunrise. That way everyone here will be asleep."

"Good idea. Just name the time and place and I'll be there waiting."

This made Louis smile a bit, "the alleyway that runs behind my street. Let's say.. 2am?"

"It's a date."

**\---**

After eating dinner with his family for possibly the last time, Louis feigned exhaustion and excused himself to bed.

He waited for hours until every member of his massive family had finally gone to sleep and then sprung into action. His three suitcases had been sitting by his back gate, hidden from sight in his mother's yellow rose bushes since before dinner.

There was no sign of Harry when he peeked at the back alley from his bedroom window. So Louis took the last few minutes to bid goodbye to his family, even if they weren't awake to hear it.

He stood outside of the nursery and remembered the days when his two sets of twin siblings were brought home. The room was used for Phoebe & Daisy and then Ernest & Doris until his mother managed to gain full custody of the fraternals in the divorce. Louis (and everyone else in the house really) always figured she chose to fight for the two of them because they were too little to remember anything that happened, too little to remember that their mommy fucked everything up and then bailed on the rest of their family.

He moved onto Pheobe & Daisy's room, going inside and sighing sadly as he glanced back and forth at the two identical sleeping beauties. The softest of kisses were placed to their foreheads.  
"Goodbye, girls," he whispered before closing the door as quietly as possible.

As he stood outside of Lottie & Fizzy's room, Louis wished he could've filled them in on the situation. Wished he could've explained why he was about to do what he was.  
"Goodbye, Lots.. goodbye, Fiz.."

He sauntered over to William's room, the door cracked ever so slightly to reveal his gently snoring father.  
"Goodbye, daddy," he choked on silent tears, trying to repress all of their memories that tried to resurface in his mind as he tip-toed down the staircase. He may have been a mama's boy but his relationship with his father was just as strong. He loved both of them to death and would continue to regardless of any falling outs.

But by then, he could hear the low rumble of the Riviera pull up just outside of the fence and he knew Harry was out there waiting. He glanced at the fence from the back door, knowing that if he tried to leave through that door, their motion sensor would trigger a spotlight and an alarm.

So he slipped into the laundry room where he climbed onto the washing machine and propped open the window above it. This way he was at the side of the house with the sensor facing the opposite direction. Lottie had figured this out by the age of 14 and it came in handy for Louis now. Sometimes he was grateful for his sister's delinquency.

He let his backpack drop to the grass outside before pulling himself through the opening, landing with bent knees beside his bag. He stayed low and quiet, but fast as he made his way across the lawn and to the fence.

He gave one final glance at the house before unlatching the gate and tugging two of his three cases from the bushes and into the gravelly alley.

Harry had been leaning, waiting patiently but anxiously against the Riviera. 

"Hey," he whispered (even though nobody would be able to hear them anyways) as he met Louis with the tightest of hugs. 

Louis had dropped his backpack and fallen apart in his arms, letting his cases stand on their own as well for a minute. He cried quietly against Harry's chest and the hug proved to be much needed.

"I know, baby," the elder cooed, his hand cradling the back of Louis' head, smoothing out his hair. "Go sit in the car, I can grab the rest of your things."

"O-Okay," Louis nodded, his tears still falling like waterfalls as he rounded the car to sit in the passenger side. 

He watched Harry grab his backpack and his last suitcase and latch his back gate. His suitcases were rested along the backseat, leading Louis to believe that Harry's belongings were taking up the space in the trunk.

When he finally got back in the car, Louis reached his hands out for his backpack that Harry was still carrying. It was immediately handed over and Louis was quick to unzip it, pulling out a soft, thin blanket and covering himself with it before buckling up.   
"W-Which way are we gonna go?"

"I was thinking North," Harry answered as they slowly drove out of the alleyway and onto the main road. He kept his right arm on the top of the leather front seat.   
"Do you like snow? Rain?" Harry tried to keep him talking in hopes of calming him down. 

He knew from personal experience that keeping a panicked person's mind focused on something else helped distract from the pain they were feeling inside. Even if it was only slightly distracting.

"I-I've never s-seen snow before," Louis told him, working on slowing down his own breathing.

"Never?" Harry raised his brows.

"W-When does it ever s-snow in Los Angeles?"

"You've never lived anywhere else?"

"Aside from our t-trips to Seattle and V-Vegas, I've never l-left California."

Harry was beginning to realize that there was another reason behind Louis' current anxiety attack. It wasn't just that they were leaving their families or their friends, it was that they were leaving the city itself, too. Louis had a rational fear of the unknown.

"That's okay," Harry told him, keeping his tone light and positive despite the circumstances because he didn't want Louis to panic even more than he already was.   
"How about you try to get some sleep, okay?" his hand moved to the back of Louis' head again and the latter subconsciously leaned into the comforting touch.   
"I'll wake you later when we stop so we can get some food."

"O-Okay.." Louis nodded, his body and mind completely exhausted from how quickly he got himself worked up. It didn't take very long for his head to lull to the side and tiny snores to escape his lips.

**\---**

Louis' shoulder was gently brushed and squeezed ever so slightly to wake him.

Puffy blue eyes met Harry's tired green and he smiled at the sight of his boyfriend, the reality of the situation had yet to hit him.

"Morning," Harry said softly, before checking his watch, "well, afternoon."

After being kissed on the temple, Louis looked at their surroundings, not recognizing anything he was seeing. Then he remembered what they had done.   
"Where are we?" he rubbed at his eyes and sat up straighter in his seat. All he could tell was that they were parked outside of a diner.

"Eugene," Harry answered.

"Pardon?" Louis raised a sleepy brow.

"Oregon," he clarified, "been following the I-5 for about twelve hours now," he chuckled.

"Twelve?" both of Louis' brows were up by then and he reached for Harry's hand so he could read his watch. It was two in the afternoon. 

"Yeah, you slept through most of the bullshit, though. Lots of construction on the Interstate."

"Is this.. is this it?" Louis asked hesitantly and Harry knew exactly what he meant by that.

"You wanna stop here?"

Louis shook his head, "I wanna get as far North as we can."

"So Canada?" Harry raised a brow.

"Not quite that far," Louis laughed and unbuckled himself, pushing his blanket onto the floor and climbing out of the car with Harry.

"Well, it's about two hours to Portland from here. So we'll fill up the tank and keep going but I figured we should get some food first," then he heard Louis' stomach growl, "definitely getting food first."

They walked in together but kept to themselves, resuming the familiar role of 'buddies' even when their food was brought out and they were left alone to converse at their table. Even if Louis wanted to reach across the table and hold Harry's hand.

"How'd you sleep?"

"My neck hurts," Louis answered honestly, "and my head aches."

"Well, you were stressing quite a bit this morning.. do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked curiously because he knew he couldn't be the therapy Louis needed, but he could be something.

Louis shook his head somberly, his eyes still puffy from the exhaustion and crying.   
"It was just a lot to take in.." he admitted, stabbing at his scrambled eggs with a fork before taking a bite.

"I'm sorry, Lou," Harry moved his hand as if he were about to reach for Louis' and Louis felt so sad when he watched Harry realize what he was doing.   
"Sorry," he said again, feeling dumb for it. You would think by now that he would know better.

"Don't apologize," Louis whispered, moving his leg in order for their calves to brush under the table.   
"None of this is your fault," he tried to console him with his words (which he was never really good with) instead of the comforting touches he would usually give. Even their legs touching how they were was a risk that Louis was only willing to take because he knew they wouldn't be staying long.

"Leaving was my idea," Harry shrugged, still feeling guilty.

"But you aren't the reason we had to leave," Louis replied, watching Harry's fingertips tap against the table.   
"It isn't your fault that people don't like us. Even though there are so many more important things they could be worried about other than you sticking your dick in my ass."

"_Louis_," Harry coughed out with red cheeks when a waitress walked by.

"Sorry," Louis replied once she was gone, "it's just so _infuriating_."

"It really is," Harry agreed, his fingertips still tap-tap-tapping on the table.

"Okay, here's the deal," Louis said, pushing his now empty plate to the side. "I'm driving--"

"What? Why?"

"You're exhausted 'cause you've been awake more than 24 hours," he answered.   
"So you're going to sleep while I drive and you're also beginning to tap so I'm buying you a pack of Marlboros."

"Lou, I quit smoking for a reason," Harry shook his head at the offer, no matter how tempting it was, "and I don't think you've ever driven on the highway so that's definitely not happening."

Louis pouted even if he knew Harry was most likely going to tell him no.

"But you're right, I would like to pass out," he added then.

"So let me drive to Portland and we'll find a motel," Louis tried again and Harry sighed but eventually agreed. It was hard to say no to the younger boy and this offer sounded much better than the first.

"Fine," Harry tossed the keys to a smiling Louis as they stood and Harry left money on the table before they exited together.

Louis' driving was decent. Not the best, but not the worst. 

There were a few times when Harry was sure they were going to crash or get arrested, but Louis somehow managed to avoid anything of the sort, so Harry was impressed to say the very least.

Once in Portland, they checked into a cheap motel just off the Interstate and that's where Harry finally got some well-deserved rest. 

As the greaser slept, Louis held him tight, his lips pressing gently to his shoulders and spine. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he whispered into his hair, fingertips tracing his toned chest.   
"I'm so gone for you, Harry.. what have you done to me?" 


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "After everything I've left and lost, I still have you."

"_Take me to the paradise in your eyes; green like American money. You taste just right, sweet like Tennessee honey. And we can run away, swimming in the sunlight everyday. Paradise in your eyes; green like American money._"

**-American Money by, BØRNS**

**\---**

"LouLou.." a gravelly voice interrupted Louis' sleep in the most pleasant of ways. There were warm hands on his skin, soft lips on his neck, and weight between his legs. "Baby.."

"Mm..?" he hummed, blinking the sleep from his eyes to be met with Harry's beauty.

"You fell asleep with me," Harry replied with a kiss to the end of Louis' nose.  
"Which is quite surprising considering you slept the whole way to Eugene," he laughed a little before getting up in order to give Louis space to wake up.

"Not my fault. It's freezing in here," Louis yawned out and pushed the covers off his chest, "and you're so warm.. like _all the time_."

"It's 'cause I'm secretly a bear," Harry joked as he walked over to his discarded jeans from the night before. He pulled out his wallet and keys and tossed them onto the couch across the room.

"Yeah, a teddy bear," Louis said as he got to his feet and stretched out. As he did so, Harry made his way over to him, enveloping Louis in his arms.

"_Your_ teddy bear."

"And don't you forget it," Louis' smile was wide and bright when he stood on his toes to kiss his boyfriend, soft and slow. "Wow, we're gross," he said against Harry's mutually grinning lips.

"Aw don't be like that, Lou," Harry teased and lifted the boy, holding him up with a firm grip on his thighs. Louis laughed loudly, the sound echoing slightly as Harry spun him around.

They felt happy then for the first time in days.

"You tellin' me you don't like this?" Harry asked, letting himself fall backward onto the bed with Louis straddling his waist. Then his hands were on Louis' bare skin, one on his hip, the other in his hair.

"N-No.." Louis replied when Harry's fingertips massaged at his scalp.

"Or this?" Harry continued, rolling over to lay between the younger's legs once again. He kissed Louis from his face to his neck, one of his hands squeezing at Louis' thigh.

"Love that.." Louis was practically purring at all of the attention he was suddenly receiving.

"Good," Harry mumbled into his ear before nibbling the lobe. "Don't _you_ forget it."

Louis gasped when Harry stood suddenly and moved to pack up his things.   
"You're such a tease sometimes," he crossed his arms as if he were actually upset about it, when in reality he was far from. "What time is it anyways?"

"Check out is at 11," Harry replied with, "it's 10 now."

Louis got up then, lazily walking over to the window and drawing the curtains back. Clouds hid the sun from view, but it's light still managed to shine through somewhat. He took a deep breath, willing his heart to stop pounding so hard in his chest anytime he thought of the California heat.

He didn't regret leaving, just the way he had to leave.

"Louis.." Harry's lax voice interrupted Louis' thoughts a few moments later. His larger hands came around the boy to pull the curtains shut again before they were sliding down Louis' figure.

"I'm okay," Louis assured when he felt Harry's chin on his shoulder.

"Promise?" he kissed the skin there.

Louis nodded as he turned to face him with sincerity in his eyes and voice, "I promise. I'm more than okay."

"Why is that?"

"Because after everything I've left and lost, I still have you," he looked up at the man with this.. look. A look Harry had never gotten from anyone else. And what made it even better was that the look was exclusively reserved for Harry and nobody else.

Harry's cheeks were flushed but he still led Louis to the bathroom to shower with him.

**\---**

"Christ, Louis, I've been worried sick," William's voice had always sounded so much warmer over the phone or maybe Louis just missed him a lot. Either way, it was so nice to hear his father's voice.   
"Where are you now? Why do you never tell me when you're going to up and disappear?"

Louis' eyes were tightly shut as he rested his forehead on the cold metal of the payphone box.  
"Dad, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you," his voice shook with an emotion he didn't know how to label. "But I-I'm okay.. I'm safe."

"That's wonderful, Louis," his father replied, "I'm glad you're safe, but please tell me where you're going next time?"

Louis swallowed thickly, afraid of the consequences he was about to be faced with as he muttered into the phone, "I.. I'm not home."

"I can see that," Will said as if it were obvious, because it was. Most of Louis' clothes were gone and quite a bit of his room was bare.   
"Are you across the tracks with your friends?" he asked quite cluelessly because in all reality, Louis was far from being just 'across the tracks' at Matty & Sky's.

"I'm actually not in L.A. anymore, dad.." Louis exhaled hesitantly before coming out with the rest of it, "I'm in Washington."

"You're where?!" Will's voice boomed through the phone and Louis felt the tears well up in his eyes.

"I'm in a town called Tacoma right now.. I stopped to use a payphone because I knew you'd be worried," he explained, "I'm so fucking sorry I didn't tell you, daddy," he was sobbing by the end of it.

"What the hell are you getting yourself into, boy?" Louis could just picture his father's shaking head.

"We didn't want to leave, I swear," he defended himself, "it was just that _town_! They're so horrible to us now."

"We? Us? What are you talking about, Louis?"

"H-Harry.." Louis replied quietly, worried that his father would grow to hate the older boy because of all of this. "I'm with Harry. He's in the car waiting for me right now," he brought his sleeves up to wipe his eyes to get a clearer view of the boy sitting across the street in the driver's seat of the Riviera, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as he patiently waited for his boyfriend to return.

"You'd better start explaining before I take the next week off of work to drive up there and hunt you two down."

Louis sniffled and tried to think of how best to explain himself and his actions but nothing he could come up with really made much sense when said aloud.   
"I was being attacked, dad. People would say things and throw things a-and Harry was even fired from Ralph's! He'd been working there for years! All because two boys have feelings for each other.."

"Running away from your problems won't help you solve them, Louis. Why didn't you tell me about any of this? I know you and Liam had a falling out but I could still talk with his father. I could ask him to call for peace."

"Dad, this isn't like some ancient kingdom where what the king says goes.." Louis said sadly because he wished that it was that easy to fix. "Mayor Payne could say all the right things and people would still say and do whatever they want to us. They hate us. We're different."

"Lou.." Will tried and Louis could tell he was beginning to cry as well. Louis felt his heart tear open a bit more when he sniffled through the phone.   
"I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry I can't keep you safe.."

"You're a lawyer, not a policeman," Louis joked to try and ease the tension.

"But I'm your father," he replied instead of laughing, "it's my job to keep you out of harms way. To teach you and help you grow."

"And you did a wonderful job," Lou immediately countered.   
"You did such a good job, dad. Look at all of us. Look at Lottie and Fizzy and both pairs of twins. You are a _magnificent_ father. I'm just.. sorry that I couldn't be a better son.."

William sobbed through the phone, "no. Don't you say that. You are so strong, Louis. Stronger than me most of the time," he finally let out a bittersweet chuckle. "I am so incredibly proud of the man you've become."

"I should've told you that I was leaving.." Louis shook his head despite his father's words of encouragement. They meant a great deal to him, but he couldn't feel anything but shame in that moment. He felt as if he'd let everybody back home down.

"Yes, you should have," Will agreed, "but I know that any decisions you make now will lead you to the bright future you're destined to have. You deserve great things, son. And great things you will do."

"You think so?" Louis choked out, his hand tightly gripping the cord of the phone with white knuckles.

"I know so, kiddo.. do you know where you're settling yet?"

"Not yet.. we're continuing up to Seattle to find a hotel. Harry said he'll find a job and he's gonna help me apply to a few colleges.."

"You've decided to attend?" Will asked curiously because the last time they had discussed college, Louis became closed off and defensive.

Louis nodded even if Will couldn't see it before explaining, "yeah.. for psychology. I-I want to be a therapist--" he was cut off slightly by a beep on his end of the line, which told him that he had one minute left. "I only have a minute now, dad. I'll call you next time we stop, I promise."

"Wait, do you have everything you need? Any money?"

"I still have some cash from my rainy day fund."

"But you'll need food and shelter eventually," Will replied and it sounded like he was fumbling with something on the other end. "I'm writing you a check. The second you have a mailing address to give, you call me, okay?"

"I will," Louis promised, glancing back at Harry before saying, "I love you, dad. Thank you."

"I love you, too, Louis. _Please_ be safe.. if I find out you got hurt and he--"

"Harry will protect me," Louis interrupted before his father could threaten his boyfriend's life over a hypothetical situation. "We look out for each other. Always. I'll call you when I can."

"Good. I'll look forward to it."

With a quick exchange of goodbyes, Louis was off the phone and sighing as he hung it back up.

**\---**

The next place they stayed was a little better looking. It was a hotel on the outskirts of Seattle; a city that was at least a little bit familiar to the pair.

They were North, that was for sure.

"Hey, you got a second?" Harry asked when he was greeted by one of his best friends over their room's phone.

"You know I don't work weekends," Matty laughed a little at his friend's silly question.   
"What d'you need?"

"Okay, so it's kind of a long story and I'd love to explain in detail, but long story short; I'm back in Seattle."

"I wondered why your room was cleaned out.. so what the hell are you doing back in Seattle?" Matty asked curiously as Harry began to explain everything, thinking of Louis' conversation with Will.

After Louis had gotten back in the car, tears streaming down his face, he had filled Harry in on every detail of their conversation. When he got to the part about Will sending them a check, Harry felt a bit taken aback. He hadn't figured Will would want anything to do with any of this, let alone send them money to help them along.

It really solidified the idea of Will that Harry had in his mind. The idea being that he was the best father Harry had ever had the pleasure of meeting and that the man would do anything in order to keep his family safe and healthy.

Harry hoped to be that kind of man for his own family one day. Hoped that he could overshadow his own father and prove to the world that he had what it took to be a productive member of society even if that very same society hated him for everything that he was.

After eating and then lounging around by the indoor pool, Harry & Louis were laid back in their room.

And there was something Louis had been dying to do.

As they laid there in each other's arms, dressed in comfortable clothes, Louis felt his heart beating in his throat. He didn't know why he was so nervous over something so simple but he was.

Nevertheless, he kept his hand in Harry's short hair, his head on Louis' chest. He could feel the edges of Harry's scar every now and again, but now anytime Louis saw it, he was just reminded of how brave and strong his boy really was.

With his other hand, Louis reached for Harry's and thumbed over the rings that adorned his middle fingers. One was silver, had the word 'peace' etched into it, and was also able to spin if Harry wanted it to.

One was gold and shaped like a coin but it was blank. Harry had told him that he wanted to engrave it but didn't know what he wanted yet.

The last was silver and had three separate stones that were a marbled mix of blue & yellow.

Harry hummed sleepily, but let Louis do as he pleased, his body loose and languid against the younger's side.

"I love these," Louis commented, Harry feeling his voice vibrate through his chest.

"Me too," Harry told him, lacing their fingers together and smiling, satisfied by the way they fit so perfectly.

"They look so nice on you," Louis squeezed his palm and Harry closed his eyes peacefully, "you have great hands."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he pressed a kiss to Harry's hair and felt the man's smile widen against his skin.

"So great in fact.." Louis let go of Harry's hand in order to reach into the pocket of his sweats. Harry peeked his eyes open when he felt something cold slip down and around his index finger, "that I decided to add to their little collection."

Harry's eyes widened and he lifted his head off Louis' chest to look at the silver-banded ring with slivers of emeralds peaking through all the way around.

"The stones reminded me of your eyes.." Louis explained further into why he bought it.

"They aren't real, are they?"

"Yeah," Louis nodded like it wasn't a big deal because it wasn't to him.

Harry turned bright red as he sat up on his calves and said, "jeez! H-How much did this cost? It must've been a fortune!"

It was originally meant as a gift for Harry's birthday, but it somehow felt better giving it to him here and now. After their troubles had past and they allowed themselves to feel brand new.

"Don't worry about that," he replied, "do you like it?"

"I mean, of course I like it. I love it."

"Good," Louis leaned up to kiss him, "I hoped you would."

"You're too much."

"I think I'm just enough."

"One of these days I'm gonna surprise you back."

"Every day you find new ways to surprise me."


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis runs into someone unexpected at a college sorority party.

_ **[TRIGGER WARNING]** _

** _[1962]_ **

"_Listen to the wind blow. Watch the sun rise. Running in the shadows. Damn your love, damn your lies_."

The street was cold and wet with spring rain, but Pike Place Market provided just enough cover for Harry. His fingertips were calloused as they pressed against the frets of his six-string, but he didn't care much about that. His guitar case sat open beside him, full of water and soggy dollar bills.

He had gotten used to the rain despite living in the heat for his entire life.

Two years can really change a person.

One person he knew that had surely changed was Louis; the boy he fell in love with. That boy had become a man, but Harry's feelings never changed.

In fact, he'd grown quite accustomed to seeing their Riviera (freshly painted a cherry red by Harry) cruising down 1st Ave.

Harry's fingers paused when he saw the car pull around the corner and come to a stop beside the curb. The window rolled down and Harry couldn't help but smirk at the way Louis looked behind the wheel.

He had his glasses on and his hair wasn't up like it would usually be, but down in a messy fringe, and stubble lightly decorated his jawline.

"Know where I can find any soggy, depressed musicians?"

Harry smiled and poured the water out of his case. He was careful not to dump out any cash, and then placed the guitar inside. Once closed, he quickly walked to the other side of the car and got in.

"Will this weather ever let up?" Harry asked as he slicked his dripping hair back and out of his face.

"Only time will tell," Louis shrugged as they began their route home.

Home for Harry & Louis was a two bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't noisy nor was it all that busy in that part of town, which was perfect for a couple in the closet.

Granted, they did have neighbors above, below, across from, and beside them, which made it a little harder to have complete privacy at times, but they loved it anyways.

Living together as just the two of them was so much easier than either anticipated. Sometimes when a couple moves in alone together, things can get a little tense due to them constantly being around each other. But since the pair had already been living together in California (for the most part), they didn't really have to worry much about that.

"I need a shower," Harry blew air past his lips as he followed Louis into their home.

"Yeah, you smell like wet dog," Louis joked as he set his keys in the bowl in the kitchen.

"Do not," Harry pouted as he walked by to set his guitar in their room.

Both bedrooms were exactly the same, but only one got much use and for obvious reasons.

But if their landlord was around, each boy claimed one of the rooms.

Their neighbor across the hall, a girl named Ashley, was the closest friend they had made since leaving California. She was the only person in the entire state of Washington who knew their secret at the time and she would keep it to the grave.

She was closer to Louis, but Harry also quite enjoyed her company. She helped keep Louis happy and she was always around to help if they needed and if that wasn't a good friend, then Harry didn't know what was.

"Ash said she'll be over after her shift," Louis informed Harry as he moved to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door as he started the water and began to strip.

"If she's hungry, we should go out to eat," Harry checked his watch before taking it off.

"Hm, where should we go?"

"Pike Place has me craving seafood but I won't make you suffer," he laughed, knowing how much Louis despised seafood.

"You're the best," Lou climbed onto the couch that was just outside of the bathroom. The perks of a tiny apartment. He rested his chin on the back of it, watching Harry step over the edge of the tub and pull the curtain shut.

When there was a knock at the front door, Louis hopped over the couch and pulled the bathroom door closed to give Harry his privacy from whoever was in the hallway.

When Louis answered the knock, he was a bit confused to see that Ashley was there already. "Thought you weren't coming til after your shift?" he asked curiously as he stepped aside to let her in.

"Was a slow day and I've got projects I need to work on so Jeff let me leave early," she explained and then sighed in content as she flopped back onto the couch, sweaty and tired from her shift at the Dog House; the restaurant downtown where she worked as a waitress. It was wildly popular, especially when the college kids came around.

"You're actually going to do your work for once?" he teased, stepping around the coffee table to settle into the recliner across from her.

"Hell no, I just told him that so I'd have extra time to get ready for tonight. By the way, you guys can come, too."

"What's tonight?"

"The Halloween party at the frat."

"Which one?"

"Alpha Epsilon Nu,"she replied as if that would help any, before adding, "most of the football players are sworn into it."

"And since when do you like big, sweaty football men?" Louis asked, pretending he was genuinely confused even though the truth was, Ashley was also as queer as a $3 bill.

"Since never?" Ashley scoffed,"the hell kind of girl do you take me for?"

"The kind who would taunt me relentlessly if I ever invited you to a frat party."

"It ain't like that, Tommo," she laughed a bit to hide the flush to her cheeks when she sat up and explained, "but anyways.. there's this girl.."

"Aha! I knew it," Louis clapped in triumph.

Ashley was like the older sister Louis never had.Their friendship was strong, even from the first day they met. They clicked so fast, it was like they had known each other for years. So of course they knew damn near everything about each other and one of the things Louis had learned was how shy Ashley got whenever she had a crush.

"Pipe down, I'm not finished," Ashley laughed, reaching to swat at his arm as he giggled. "There's this girl and she's in a sorority.."

"Oh, God."

"Hush!" she laughed exasperatedly,"and she invited me to the party tonight—"

"I can already see where this is going."

"Louis!" she groaned, flopping back onto the couch again dramatically.

"I'm just messing with you," he finally let up, genuinely interested in hearing about this girl. "Does she have a name?"

"Yeah, it's Lauren," she answered, pursing her lips. "She sits next to me during our art history lecture. She's like really cool and she flirts back and I can tell she means it, too. Unlike most of the girls I've talked to around here. She wants to meet you also."

"Really? Why?"

"Because I've told her so much about you and she'll be so excited to know that you're just like us. That you understand what it's like to be fucked over and dragged through the mud because of your sexuality," she explained before adding, "we do struggle in other ways simply because we're women of color, but you and Harry understand how we feel more than anyone else I've ever met."

"I'm glad you feel so comfortable with us," Louis said honestly, "I'm sure Harry would love to party."

**\---**

"I think all this rain is finally doing me in, Lou. I can't stop sneezing," was the first thing Harry said after his shower. Louis had offered the frat party (and explained why he was interested) but Harry declined.   
"I'm sorry, babe. I'd love to but I can't get the whole school sick, let alone a new friend."

"I'll stay and make you soup then," Louis replied simply, not really minding if he went to the party or not. He was interested in meeting Ashley's friend(?) but it could wait.

"Nah, Lou, you should go have fun," Harry waved it off as he changed from a towel into comfortable clothes, "meet Ashley's girl and have some drinks."

"But what about you?" Louis pouted as he stepped closer to the man, reaching up to feel his forehead for heat. "You're really burning up."

"I'll be fine," he shook his head, "just a cold."

"You really don't mind me going by myself?"

"No..?" Harry raised a brow at this because, "you'll be with Ashley, I thought?"

"I will be but.. I don't know. I guess I'm just used to going everywhere with you," Louis shrugged as Harry pulled a shirt on and smoothed it out over his body.

Louis reached out to touch him then, fingertips trailing up Harry's chest.

"I know right?" Harry laughed a little because he felt the same whenever Louis dropped him off downtown.

"I guess I should get ready then," Louis pecked Harry's lips, not really caring if he would get him sick. If anything it would be an excuse to get out of doing assignments.

He dressed casually, not expecting much out of a frat party. Especially since there were so many house rules that had to be followed. Not that anyone actually followed them, but it definitely made things a bit more difficult.

What Louis didn't expect to see when they were let inside, was just how many people were actually there. A lot of them doing things that were strictly against the rules.

Louis didn't care. He wasn't a snitch, but it still put him a little on edge. Alcohol and kush are one thing, cocaine and.. whatever else, was a completely different story.

Louis was grateful that Ashley held onto his arm and led him around until they finally found some booze and got to drinking.

It was a good half an hour before Lauren showed up.

"I thought sorority sisters couldn't drink?" Louis questioned as Ashley poured a cup full of beer for the dark haired girl who was quickly approaching.

She had recognized the junior from across the room.

"Just in our house," she explained when she finally joined them, "anywhere else is okay, though. I'm Lauren, a freshman," she held a hand out to shake with Louis'.   
"I'll assume you're Louis?"

"Yes, sophomore," he smiled brightly, "and any friend of Ash's is a friend of mine."

"Likewise," Lauren returned the smile with a sort of innocence in her eyes that reminded him of the summer of 1959. Reminded him of the hill in Los Angeles and the fireworks and his old friends. Then he found himself thinking that Perrie and Josh would love a party like this.

But Harry & Louis were certain they would continue to stay in touch with Matty and the gang for the rest of their lives.

Ashley handed the fresh cup of beer to the freshman who accepted it with a flattered blush and Louis couldn't help but let a smile return to his face.

"And of course, you're D.D.," Ashley nodded towards Louis who raised a brow.

"D.D.?"

"Designated driver."

"Aw, what?" Louis whined a little, but he wasn't too concerned. He didn't exactly enjoy blacking out, so a buzz was good enough for him.

Ashley lightly tugged on her own earlobe and discreetly pointed to Lauren who was glancing around the kitchen curiously. Louis tugged his earlobe in response once he understood that she was asking him to do her this solid so she could really let loose while she's with this girl.

"I'll stick to beer, then. I need to be sober enough to check on Harry when I get home anyways," Louis said and he poured more beer into his cup.   
"It was nice to meet you Lauren, I'll be getting out of you guys' hair now."

Ashley patted his bum as he walked by them to exit the kitchen. He just shook his head with a laugh as he turned to say, "you owe me one!"

"Sure thing, T!"

When Louis turned back around to walk into the living room, he wasn't expecting to be met with a six-foot-something brunette with all too familiar brown eyes.

"Louis? What the hell are you doing here?"

Even the voice gave him chills.

"Liam? W-What are you doing here?" Louis tried to stand a little taller and settle the fear in his voice. Liam did not look happy to see him at all and the letterman jacket he was wearing didn't help to settle Louis' fear.

Of course he had to be a huge fucking football player.

"I asked first and why're you talking to her?" he asked, pointing to Ashley who was laughing at something Lauren had said.

"I don't think anything I do concerns you, Liam," Louis replied simply and it surprised him that he was able to get that sentence out without stuttering.

"I think everything you do should concern me from now on," Liam stepped closer, but Louis stayed put, clenching his jaw, and staring the taller man in the eye.   
"Unless you want everyone on campus--or better yet the entire city--to know your dirty little secret," he had whispered this, which Louis was almost grateful for, but he was a bit too busy trying not to seem fazed by what he was just told.

"You wouldn't," Louis didn't mean to whisper, but his voice wouldn't carry.

"You still with that greaser you told me about?"

"Shut up."

"He still givin' it to you good? Or do you do him? How does that work?" Liam laughed and Louis' blood was boiling but maybe it was just the alcohol swimming in his veins.

"Shut up, Liam," Louis' fists subconsciously clenched at his sides.

"Or what? You'll call your little boyfriend over?" Liam wasn't whispering anymore, but to Louis' luck nobody seemed to be listening. At least not yet.   
"That wouldn't be the best idea for you. If you think it is, let me remind you of what happened when your secret spilled in L.A."

Louis' vision went red. All of the pain and guilt and shame he felt when he skipped town pierced through his heart all at once and the next thing he knew, he was swinging his fist towards the face of a man he once thought of as a brother.

Liam's larger hand caught Louis' arm and pulled him out of the main room, into the hallway that led to the stairs. Louis looked around for Ashley & Lauren, but was pushed into a closet before he could recognize any faces he saw. Liam closed and locked the door behind them before cornering the blue eyed boy.

"Listen closely, Tomlinson."

Louis heard something click in front of him but couldn't see what it was. The only source of light was peeking in through the cracks between the door and doorframe.

Once he felt something cold and sharp lightly tracing over his abdomen, Louis began to fear for more than just his secret.

"I won't tell anybody."

"Huh?" Louis breathed anxiously and by then he could practically taste the alcohol on Liam's breath. God only knows what else was pumping through his system.

"If.. you do me some favors."

Louis let tears slip down his cheeks, but he didn't sob, too scared to make any noise.

"I want you to get on your knees," came out of the man's mouth next and Louis was completely frozen. A bit confused as well but he was sure Liam was suggesting--   
"Get on your knees.. and if you tell anybody--and I mean anybody--about any of this, I'll make sure your greaser no longer has a head to scalp."

"I hope you burn in Hell," Louis seethed, unable to do much with the way he was pinned to the wall. Even if it was light enough to see, his tears would blur his vision.

"Trust me, you'll be burning right there with me."


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Seems like Harry's got a mystery for us."

"_Truth's gonna come out someday. It's gonna wipe that smile right off your face. But you can run. You can run. You can run_."

**-You Can Run by, Adam Jones**

**\---**

"Harry..?" Louis called out when he entered their apartment. He had just gotten home from his last lecture of the day and desperately needed Harry's help.

This could not continue. It absolutely could not.

"In here," came the man's voice from the couch and Louis tried to savor the lovely sound because his life was quickly going to shit once again.

It had been two months since Louis had been threatened and assaulted by someone he thought he would never see again. It reminded him of when Eleanor had lied about being a victim of this exact situation and it made Louis feel even worse.

Almost every person he had thought he could trust had either let him down or used him in some way. His mom destroyed his family, his girlfriend destroyed his self esteem, and his best friend destroyed one of the closest relationships Louis had ever put time into building up.

Louis felt as if he were back at square one, to put it quite simply.

"I need help with this assignment," he said as casually as possible, but he knew Harry had noticed how down he'd been recently.

He'd have to be blind if he didn't see it.

"I don't really know much about like psych stuff.." Harry admitted and it was expected, but Louis just smiled, even if it was fake.

"This one's easy, promise," he pulled his notebook out of his bag and sat in the recliner, across the room from Harry who was sprawled out on the love seat.

"Okay, shoot."

Louis pretended to flip open to an assignment, but it was really a blank page.

If Liam had become crazy enough to pull a knife on him, Louis would no longer be surprised if Liam actually tried to hurt Harry. And Louis swore he would be dead before he'd let Harry get hurt again.

"I'm just gonna ask some questions and I need your opinion on what you would do in that situation."

"Sounds easy enough..?"

"This assignment's based around abuse, threats, etcetera. I was hoping as someone who knows these things first hand, you would have the best idea on what to do?" Louis treaded lightly for many reasons, but mainly because he didn't want to upset Harry or be insensitive. He wanted Harry to be willing to talk about this.

"Sure," he said as if it wasn't a big deal because it wasn't to Harry. It was the norm for him and as sad as it sounded, it was the truth.

"Okay, first question: Someone shares something with their friend in confidence and that friend betrays their trust by sharing it to others. How do you think this would affect a person's mental health?"

Harry blew air past his lips, but gave an honest answer, "I don't know any professional terms or anything, but it would make me feel closed off.. like I've got this wall built up. I wouldn't be able to trust very much after that."

Louis pretended to write down Harry's answer and continued to ask the next 'question'.   
"Person A is threatened by person B. Person C must do as person B asks or person A will be hurt. Person A and person C are very close. How do you think this would affect person C's mental health?"

Harry's brows raised a bit at how detailed that question was, but he continued to provide his opinion, "if I was person C, I would feel trapped. Like I couldn't win no matter what I chose to do. I think I'd go a bit insane if I didn't ask someone else for help, though.."

Louis pretended to write it down again and then asked the last question, at this point just dying to tell Harry what happened, "if person C was someone you knew, would you want them to tell you?"

Harry looked over then and he could see the pain in Louis' eyes, had been noticing it for weeks now. He tried to get Louis to talk about it, but he'd always brush it off as nothing. Even if Harry knew it was not just nothing, he wasn't mad at Louis if he was in fact suggesting that he was person C.

Harry wondered who person A & B were, but that could wait.

"Lou.." he sat up and walked over to him. When he lifted the notebook and saw nothing written down, he was especially confused. He set it on the coffee table and slowly crouched down in front of his boyfriend. "If someone is threatening you--"

"Not me.." Louis shook his head, eyes welling up with tears.

"Who is threatening who, then? Who is person B, baby?" Harry asked calmly, reaching for Louis' hand and thumbing over his knuckles. "You know you can tell me anything."

"You'll get hurt if I tell you," Louis cried silently, unable to do much but shake. But that answered Harry's other question about person A's identity.

"I don't care. I need you to tell me who they are," he moved to cup Louis' face in his hands even if his fingers got wet from his tears. "Please, Lou. Please tell me who they are so I can keep you safe."

"I-It's the same person who o-outed us in Los Angeles.." Louis finally sobbed, crumbling in on himself. "I-It was Liam, he s-said he'd kill you if I t-told anybody!"

"Told anybody what?" Harry asked, keeping a calm tone of voice in order to keep Louis grounded.

"I don't even w-want to say it," Louis whimpered, a complete mess as Harry quickly pulled him into his arms.

"You don't have to," he closed his eyes and cradled Louis' head as he cried against his neck.   
"It's gonna be okay," he promised, holding his baby close and channeling all of his anger into planning a way to avenge Louis.

**\---**

"I need you to tell me everything you know about Liam Payne," was the first thing Harry said when he was greeted by Ashley at her door.

"It's nearly midnight, Harry, why aren't you asleep?"

"I don't sleep when I know someone I care about is in danger."

Ashley got the hint that Harry was being serious and stopped asking unnecessary questions. She pushed her messy blonde hair out of her face and stepped aside to let him inside her apartment.

"Who's in danger and what does Liam Payne have to do with it?" she asked as she sat next to him on her couch. She spent most of the night sipping from a red cup and clinging to Lauren so she was completely clueless about anything that had happened that night.

In fact Lauren joined them in the living room once she had emerged from Ashley's bedroom. "What's going on, guys?" she wiped sleep from her eyes as she shuffled over to Ashley and placed a gentle hand on her cheek.

Harry would've smiled at the sign of affection, but he had other things in mind.

"Seems like Harry's got a mystery for us," she answered, then encouraged Harry to continue.

"Liam threatened Louis at that party," Harry told them, both of the girls' lips parting in a mixture of shock and anger.   
"Liam said he'd kill me if Louis told anybody what he did. Louis won't tell me what but I _do_ know one thing; Louis tells me everything. So whatever Liam's done and is probably _still_ doing? It's got to be _killing_ him inside. I hardly get to see Louis smile anymore--" Harry choked up, his eyes welling up with tears.

He didn't sob, but he let the tears slip down his face. Ashley's brows are furrowed and Lauren is near tears as well by then.

"I gotta stop it.. I have to," Harry sat up a little straighter and wiped his eyes.   
"I'm not gonna sit back and watch him suffer. Not again," he shook his head.

Ashley nodded in agreement, ready to pull on a pair of jeans and go on a rampage. Lauren was severely uninformed, but didn't ask. It wasn't her business. But she would do whatever she could to help.

"I mean, was outing him back home not enough?" Harry's brows furrowed and he looked like he was about ready to join Ashley's rampage.

"Louis is gay?" Lauren asked, making sure that's what Harry meant.

"Louis and I have been together for almost three years," he replied, making Lauren smile a little despite everything. "We met in Los Angeles when he was with his girlfriend, before he knew.."

Lauren nodded in understanding.

"I was also there when he came out to him, one of his best friends at the time, just to be thrown out the next minute. I was there for him when he knocked on my door and cried over that piece of shit."

"So what are we about to do about this fucker?" Ashley seethed and Harry was glad he wasn't the only one who wanted to get revenge.

"I think I might have an idea," Lauren spoke up again. Ashley and Harry turned to look at her then, waiting patiently for her to continue.

Once Lauren had explained her plan, Harry didn't know where or when it would be put into place, but he did know one thing;

Liam Payne had better watch his back.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry avenges Louis.

"_Nothing's gonna hurt you baby. As long as you're with me, you'll be just fine. Nothing's gonna hurt you baby. Nothing's gonna take you from my side._"

**-Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby by, Cigarettes After Sex**

**\---**

"Thanks for meeting me here."

Harry never thought he'd be doing this, but here he was, trespassing on campus to meet up with one of Lauren's sorority sisters.

"You got what I asked for?" the girl replied, looking Harry up and down. He was dressed in all black, a beanie with eye holes cut in it bunched up in his hand.

He reached into his back pocket for a plastic bag, handing it over and looking at her expectantly.

"You got what I asked for?" he raised a brow as she examined the powdery white contents of the bag before opening it and sniffing it.

"This looks like some pretty nice stuff," she commented honestly before reaching into her own pocket for her part of the trade.

Harry was handed a key; The key to Liam's fraternity.

"Payne's room is upstairs. It's got a stop sign hanging on the door."

"Thanks," he nodded before walking away, pulling on the beanie, and adjusting it accordingly.

He followed Ashley's directions to the frat house and praised himself for coming well after midnight. He knew better than to come earlier as there would most likely be some sort of party inside.

By now everyone should've be asleep, especially since Louis told him this upcoming week or so was strictly exams.

Harry let himself into the house and did so as quietly as possible. He didn't turn on any lights as the streetlights outside were shining through the windows.

He made his way to the stairs and managed to make it to the second floor undetected despite the squeaky step near the top.

The stop sign was obviously unmissable and Harry let himself inside before shutting and locking the door behind him.

Harry stared at the snoring frat boy passed out on the double bed. His room smelled like sweat and cologne and not in a sexy way.

He took a deep breath and reached into the back of his jeans to retrieve the Colt .45 he had tucked away. He hadn't had to do something like this in a long time and he hoped he wouldn't have to again.

But Harry couldn't let Liam drain Louis again. Or anybody for that matter.

Harry looked down at the gun in his hand, as if seeing it would help ground him to reality.

Then he walked over to the side of the bed and stared down at the guy, feeling nothing but disgust.

"Yo, Liam," Harry said in a casual voice and patted his chest, pretending to be another frat guy trying to get him up to party.

Liam's eyes blinked open and he sat up, a bit disoriented from sleep. He smelled like alcohol too, so Harry wouldn't be surprised if he was hungover.

Harry didn't hesitate to bust Liam over the nose with the handle of the gun. Liam grunted in pain and laid back down, holding his bleeding (and most likely broken) nose and hissing in pain.

Before Liam could scream for help, Harry clapped a gloved hand over his mouth and held the gun to his temple.   
"Listen here, you pathetic fuck," he growled, "if you scream, I'll pull this trigger. If you try any funny shit, I'll pull this trigger. Get me?"

Liam nodded, staring into the green eyes behind the mask with furrowed brows.

"If you put a hand on Louis again, I'll end you," Harry seethed, speaking slow enough to let it really sink into Liam's thick skull.   
"If you say anything to him or about him, I'll end you. If you even so much as glance in his direction..?" Harry laughed a little even though he was far from amused. "I think you get the point."

Liam nodded again, his jaw clenched tightly behind Harry's hand.

"Louis better not see your face or hear your voice ever again," Harry tapped Liam's temple with the gun.   
"You should probably keep in mind that I'm not above prison, either. So if you come around my boy again, spouting off threats and whatever else? I'd suggest skipping town and changing your identity. Better yet, go into witness protection. As of right now, you're a fucking _ghost_. But just know, nothing you do will keep me from finding you. You can consider this your first and last warning."

Harry grabbed the blankets and threw it over Liam's face before rushing out of the house and sprinting until he could no longer see the campus.

Harry ripped the mask off and panted, stopping to try and catch his breath. He took the gun apart next, even if there weren't any bullets in it.

Every part that could possibly come off of it was taken off. He threw one of the pieces as hard and high as he could into the trees he was by.

The next part was tossed into the ocean, again as far as he could throw.

The last few parts were thrown in various spots all over town, where Harry was sure no one would ever find them. Even if they did, there were no other parts near it and no finger prints.

Harry tossed the mask and gloves in a dumpster outside of a restaurant and jogged the rest of the way home.

**\---**

"Where were you this morning?"

"Uh.." Harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up when Louis started questioning him.

"I got up to take a piss at 2am and you were gone. So where were you?" Louis asked, having been up and waiting for Harry to wake up.

Harry thought he had gotten away with it, but apparently not.   
"Look, I planned to tell you when I woke up," he sighed, pushing his hair back.   
"I took a trip to the frat house and talked to Liam."

"You what?" Louis' brows raised. "Are you insane?"

"No, we talked. He's not gonna mess with you anymore," Harry promised.

"What do you mean you talked? Why did you leave our apartment at 2am on a weekday to 'talk' to somebody?" Louis shook his head, "doesn't that sound a bit ridiculous?"

Harry wiped his face with his hands and came clean, "I stole quite a bit from my dad before he got thrown in jail.. I stole the Colt. But like I said, he—"

"The Colt?" Louis asked, cluelessly.

"Colt .45, it's a handgun," Harry answered honestly, knowing Louis would be upset. He was ready to accept the lecture if it meant Louis was going to be safe.

"So let me get this straight. You trespassed on campus after hours, broke into a frat house, and pulled a gun on a football player?"

"Yes..?" Harry winced a little because it sounded really bad when you laid it all out like that.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Harry," Louis sighed, standing and starting to get ready for class. He got dressed quietly and Harry watched him with a guilty feeling in his chest.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, watching Louis pull on a sweater.

"I don't know."

"I had to stop him somehow. And it's not like it's the first time I've done it."

"That doesn't really make me feel better.. but a gun? Really?" Louis turned to look at him as he stepped into his shoes and laced them up.

"He pulled a knife on you, you told me that," Harry replied in his defense. "What was I supposed to do, let him keep hurting you? You still haven't told me what he did, so it must be pretty fucking bad."

"I blew him," Louis' eyes were wet with tears and he shrugged as if to say he couldn't change it and he couldn't. "I blew him because he told me if I didn't that he'd kill you and I—" Louis choked, "I'm not fucking kidding, Harry, I will die before I let that happen."

Harry was out of bed and holding Louis in an instant, listening to him cry and letting him ramble.

"It's okay.." Harry tried to calm him down, running his fingers through his hair and pressing kisses to his head.

"Please just promise me this is all over and done with now."

"We don't have to worry about it anymore," Harry confirmed.

"Are you sure?" Louis looked up at him and Harry wiped his tears as he had so many times before.

"We don't have to worry anymore," Harry cupped his face and kissed him softly. "Liam Payne is a ghost."

**\---**

"I told him I stole it from my dad," Harry assured Lauren as they were sat with Ashley in her apartment again.

"Great. Thanks for getting rid of it," she replied, "my dad needed it gone and I must say I couldn't have done it better myself."

"It's not the first time I've had to do it but I appreciate him letting me use it, even if he was getting rid of it anyway. I scared the shit out of that prick," Harry let himself celebrate his victory for once.

"Louis know?" Ashley asked then.

"Yeah."

"What's he think?"

"Not the biggest fan of the method but it's the thought that counts right? I mean I was only protecting him.."

"I think he's just upset that you did this without talking to him about it."

"He would've tried to stop me," Harry shook his head, feeling even more guilty.

"I know, I'm just saying. You could've been hurt but that was a risk you were willing to take. He knows you'd do anything for him and you've just proved it. Give him time, he'll be fine."


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'd do it again if I had to."

"_My own friends hate my guts._ _So what_? _Oh, so what_? _Who gives a fuck_?"

**-Green Eyes, by Wavves**

**\---**

"Am I allowed to ask why your dad needed to get rid of the Colt?" Ashley asked from the driver's seat of her pickup, "or will I disappear shortly after asking?" she laughed a little to show that she was just joking, but part of her wondered if that would actually be the case.

Lauren laughed along with her, finding it amusing, "you won't disappear, I promise," she consoled. "But I can't tell you why," she gave an awkward pursed-lipped smile.  
"Let's just say that my dad is a very powerful man in this city. He can make things happen and he can prevent things from happening."

"Could he keep a few assholes off a gay kid's back?" Ashley said mainly as a joke.

"I think Harry's done a pretty good job of that on his own," Lauren replied honestly, "I haven't even seen Liam around campus. He's probably too scared to run into Louis again."

"I haven't seen him either. Let's hope it stays that way," Ashley said, starting the car and pulling away from the apartments in order to drive Lauren back to the sorority house.

"I told my dad that Harry would handle it and he did. But if something else happens, he asked that I come tell him first."

"Nothing else will happen," Ashley shook her head confidently, "and if anything does, I'll be the one to handle it. Payne hasn't even begun to understand who he's messing with."

"That was actually kind of hot.." Lauren smirked as she reached to hold Ashley's hand, "but it's as Harry said; Payne is a ghost."

**\---**

"Harry, can we talk?"

Louis had been in the shower, washing the school day away and thinking. He'd been doing a lot of that lately. He had wrapped himself in a towel and presented he question the second he saw his boyfriend laying down in their room.

Harry sat up a bit then, "yeah," he said, taking note of the hesitant look on Louis' face. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Louis nodded immediately, walking over to sit beside him on the mattress.   
"I just.. wanted to tell you that I'm not mad about what you did.."

"You're not?" Harry's brows raised in genuine surprise.

"No," Louis shook his head. "I mean, I'm mad, but.. not at you. I'm just.. _mad_," he laughed at himself for not being able to put it any better.   
"But I'm also tired. I'm tired of running and being scared and being used."

Harry wrapped an arm around Louis' shoulders and held him closer.   
"Well, hopefully you can get a good night's sleep from now on."

"I don't know if I can.." Louis replied honestly, trying his hardest not to cry again because he felt like a cry baby. "I can't.. stop."

"Stop what?" Harry asked carefully.

"Seeing it," Louis shook his head. "I just.. I keep dreaming about it and when I'm not busy doing something else, it's all I can think about."

"Lou.." Harry said sadly, gently turning Louis' head to look at him.   
"What he put you through? It's traumatic. He did horrible things to you and you're probably gonna remember it the rest of your life.."

"Yeah.." Louis nodded, his eyes welling up with tears.

"But it doesn't have to define you, baby," Harry shook his head before pressing kisses to Louis' temple. "I know it's difficult.. but I'm still here for you whenever you need me."

"How do you do it?" Louis asked, hoping Harry wouldn't find it insensitive.   
At this point he was desperate to know how to cope.

"Do what?"

"How do you just.. live with everything that happened? How do you keep all the shit you've been through from taking over completely?"

"It's been years now," Harry replied simply, "and I'm still not over any of it, if I'm honest. But after a while, you just get numb.."

"I wish I could be numb," Louis mumbled.

Harry frowned and felt like he couldn't do or say anything to make Louis feel better. And it was true, there really wasn't much he could do at all.

"I wish I could fix it for you," Harrywhispered.

"You tried," Louis nodded then, taking Harry's hand in his own and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. "No one's ever tried to avenge me like that.."

"Hopefully it won't have to happen again. As much as I hate the guy, I felt pretty horrible when I pistol whipped him.."

Louis laughed a little at that, "I still can't believe you did that."

"Thought you weren't mad?" Harry teased.

"I'm not, it's just weird to imagine you doing that. My big softy smacking someone in the face with a gun?"

"M'not that soft," Harry laughed, "I'd do it again if I had to."

"I know you would," Louis snuggled up against him, humming contently against Harry's chest, "and you know I'd do anything for you, too."

**\---**

"Ash? What's up?" Harry asked when he was greeted by the blonde at the front door. It was nearly midnight, Louis was asleep, and Harry was about to be until he heard knocking.

"You need to come down to the parking lot. It's bad," Ashley replied with a serious expression and Harry was confused but followed Ashley out of the apartment and down the hall despite not having a shirt on.

"What's going on? It's late as fuck," Harry yawned as they entered the stairwell and began their descent to the ground floor.

"You should just come take a look," Ashley told him as she pushed the exit door open and led him into their section of the parking area. Her truck was parked right across from Harry's Riviera.

Once they were close enough, Ashley gestured for him to look at the Riviera. It was dark and hard to see but once Harry finally saw it, he wanted to punch something.

Every single window including the windshield and back were shattered, the glass of the side mirrors was in pieces on the ground, and all four tires had been slashed open.

Along the side were scrapes and scratches in the red paint and when Harry took a look inside, the seats were cut open and the stuffing covered in a dark blue liquid.

"Is that paint?" Harry asked, obviously livid.

"I think it's ink," Ashley told him, chewing her bottom lip as she watched him reach in and unlock the driver's side door.   
"Careful," she winced as she watched him accidentally slice his palm on a shard of glass.

"Damn it," Harry shook his hand as if the pain could be shaken off of it.

Ashley stepped closer to him to examine his hand, "shouldn't need stitches but you should get it wrapped up."

Harry nodded rather than answering as he knew anything he said would have an angry bite to it and unlike his father, he wouldn't allow himself take his anger out on someone else.

"You see who did it?" he asked instead as he opened the door to assess the damage to the seats. 

Ashley shook her head honestly, "I came back from dropping off Lauren and it was like this," she said, lightly running her fingertips over the scratches in the paint, "but it wasn't like this when we left."

"Whoever it was waited until you were gone. They knew you'd see it and tell me. They know we're friends."

"Well that could be a lot of people," Ashley shook her head, "and I don't think Liam is dumb enough to risk being killed just to trash your car."

"Who would it be then? If it was some random, they would've gotten a lot more cars than just mine. This was personal."

"I don't know," Ashley said, "maybe you and Payne need to have another chat?"

"You and I both know there wouldn't be very much chatting going on."

Ashley thought it over as Harry walked around the car and cursed under his breath whenever he discovered something else's damage.

"I think I might have a plan," she smirked.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam & Harry settle things outside.

"_Yeah, don't even try. Can't fuck up my vibe. Double cuppin' in the ride. Motherfucker, don't play with me._"

**-Don't Play by, Halsey**

**\---**

"What the hell did you do to your hair?" was what Ashley was greeted with when she took a trip to the frat house.

"It was a bit much," she replied, running her fingers through her freshly cut brown hair, "but I'm not here for me."

"What are you here for then? Another ride on the Payne Train?" he bit his lip and eyed her up and down.

Ashley rolled her eyes at that, "stop. That was a mistake. It shouldn't have ever happened."

"Oh, but it _did_," Liam smirked, "and you were so eager for it. What ever changed?"

"Nothing changed, it was a one night stand," she shook her head. "Quit acting like your cock is almighty. It's average at best."

Liam looked visibly offended and Ashley considered it a small victory.   
"Oh that's right, you like vag now."

"Always have," Ashley replied as-a-matter-of-factly. "I came here for Harry."

"What, is he too scared to face me himself?" Liam laughed at that.

"Actually that's exactly what's gonna happen. You're gonna come with me off campus and you're both gonna settle this."

"And why should I? What's in it for me?"

"You and Harry can hash out terms when you're face-to-face."

**\---**

Ashley led Liam off campus as she said, finding Harry and a group of students under an overpass just a few minutes away.

"What's with the crowd?" Ashley asked when she joined her friends.

"Nice hair, babe," Lauren complimented as she wrapped her arms around Ashley's middle.

Harry shrugged, "most of them followed me out of the apartments."

"They probably saw your car and knew something was about to go down."

"Fights sell almost as much as sex does," Lauren told them, "I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were placing bets."

"Well regardless, there need to be rules. I don't trust that son of a bitch," Harry said, not taking his eyes off of Liam who was talking shit to a few students in the crowd.

"Way ahead of you," Ashley said, kissing the top of Lauren's head before moving to grab Liam. She led him over to Harry and once they were face-to-face, the tension they all felt could be cut with a knife.

"Styles," Liam muttered.

"Payne," Harry replied simply.

"Alright listen up," Ashley announced, making the group behind them fall silent. "Here are the rules. You break them, it's an automatic forfeit. It's a fist fight, so fists only. No weapons, no biting, no kicking. Don't grab each other's clothes or hair. The only thing I should see flying are your fists, not your bodies."

Liam peeled his shirt from his chest, letting it fall to the ground carelessly. A few people cheered for it, which did nothing but inflate Liam's ego even more.

Harry kept it even by removing his as well. Lauren took it from him before moving back to Louis' side and letting him hold onto it.

"This is crazy," Louis told her.

"Yeah, it is," Lauren agreed. "Sometimes there just isn't any other way to handle it."   
That didn't seem to ease Louis' nerves at all, so she added, "Harry's winning, hands down."

"How do you know?"

"Witnessed a lot of these kinds of fights."

The pair watched as Ashley patted Liam down and then turned to do the same to Harry.

"Tap out or knock out?" Ashley asked which they would prefer.

"Won't be tapping out any time soon, so you'd better knock me out," Liam said, keeping his eyes on Harry. The two hadn't broken eye contact.

"Knock out," Harry answered instead of feeding into Liam's shit.

"Alright, now that you know the rules, the first to lose consciousness loses," she said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What do I win when I knock your lights out?" Liam asked.

"What do _I_ win?" Harry replied instead of answering.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to leave town and never come back," Harry said without hesitation and the crowd was eating it all up.

"And if I win, _you_ have to leave. I want your car, too."

"Oh, you mean the one you fucked up?" Harry asked.

"I didn't touch your car," Liam shook his head, "but I might've told a few buddies what it looked like and where it's been parked."

"And how exactly am I supposed to leave town if you take my car, genius?"

"Not my problem," Liam laughed, "better just make sure you win, huh?"

"Alright, you guys ready?"

They both looked to Ashley then and nodded. She sighed as the crowd cheered again and she backed away from the pair.

"If I say stop, you both stop," Ashley made sure they both understood before finally saying, "go."

Liam and Harry walked in a slow circle around each other, both waiting for the other to throw the first punch.

When it didn't come, Liam took matters into his own hands and threw his fist toward Harry's face. Harry ducked and opted for Liam's stomach.

He doubled over for a second, holding his middle before straightening out again.

"How can you tell who's going to win?" Louis asked as he nervously bit his lip.

"See how Liam just goes for it and hopes for the best?" Lauren asked, earning a nod from Louis in response.   
"He's gonna tire himself out that way. Harry's fast though. He's big, but he's fast."

"So..?"

"So he can use smaller opportunities to his advantage. He can go for something else as soon as he dodges because he's quick."

Louis nodded in understanding as he watched Liam land a punch to Harry's mouth. He winced, covering his eyes and peeking through his fingers to watch Harry spit out some blood.

He didn't seem fazed however. He knew how to take a punch.

Liam on the other hand was already panting, too busy trying to show off to fight very well. A drop of sweat dripped from his jaw and Harry was quick to land a punch there, knocking Liam to the ground.

The crowd cheered him on and a lot of people thought Harry had won until Liam pushed himself to his feet. On the way up from the ground, he reached for something behind his belted waistband.

Harry's eyes widened when he saw a flash of metal in Liam's swinging fist. Harry was quick to catch his wrist, stopping Liam's movements to find a pair of brass knuckles fit tightly over his fist.

Harry practically ripped the metal from his hand, throwing it to the ground beside them where Ashley and the rest could see that Liam tried to cheat.

The crowd erupted in complaining shouts, most of them aimed at Liam who was standing there, caught redhanded in Harry's grip.

"Motherfucker, don't _play_ with me," Harry seethed and threw one last punch, knocking Liam back down.

The students circled around them and cheered for Harry's victory. Most of them glad that Liam would have to leave.

"Harry, I'm so happy you did this," one girl told him, "now he won't mess with me anymore."

"Been waiting to see that punk get his ass beat," one of Liam's frat brothers said and even shook Harry's hand.

"Your boy's a hero," Lauren told Louis as they watched Harry get showered in praise and victory.

"He wouldn't agree with us," Louis replied, "but he really is."


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You are the love of my life, Louis Tomlinson."

"_I know forever don't exist but after this life, I'll find you in the next. So when I say 'forever,' it's the God damned truth. I'll keep finding, finding you_."

**-Finding You by, Kesha**

**\---**

** _[1965]_ **

There's something in this little boy's eyes that reminds Harry of his own childhood. There's this excited sparkle within them and it really makes his heart hurt because growing up, Harry had hoped for better days only for things to get worse.

It wasn't until Louis came along that Harry was truly happy with his life. He was a perfect distraction, a beautiful silver lining to all of the horrible things Harry had gone through.

And here is this boy with so much innocence and light surrounding his being and Harry hopes he gets to keep that light forever.

The second Harry and Louis walk in the door (completely shocking their friends with their sudden presence), the boy is wrapping around Harry's leg and squeezing tight.

"Uncle Harry!" he exclaimed excitedly.

He had met Harry and Louis about four years ago over the phone after he had learned to talk. The pair would make weekly calls back home to their friends to stay in touch and it was much needed closure after everything that happened before they left California.

At first it was a mispronunciation of words pieced together to form simple sentences, but now that he's a bit older, Sky swears the boy is never quiet.

Before there's any chance of protest, Harry lifts the boy into his arms and gets a good look at his little face for the first time. The green of his eyes and his nearly platinum blonde hair.

"Xavier, come here--"

Harry and Louis glanced away from the child to look over at his mother, still gorgeous and wonderful as ever.

"Sky," a smile broke out on Harry's face as he set Xavier back down.

"What are you guys doing here?" her eyes watered as she rushed to pull Harry in for a tight hug. She reached for Louis' arm and pulled him into it as well, making him smile brightly.   
"Oh, this is such a lovely surprise. It's been years!"

"It's been far too long," Louis agrees as they pull away and the three take the time to let the reality of the moment set in.

"What are you guys doing back in town?" Sky asked pleasantly overwhelmed. "Matty's going to be so happy when he gets home."

"Well, now that Louis' finished college and things have had time to blow over, we thought it would be a good idea to at least visit," Harry explained, a gentle hand moving to rest on the small of Louis' back.

"You've finished? Congratulations," Sky said to Louis, "I knew at least one of us would make something of themselves," she joked, making them both smile even brighter.

"Hey, who knows, maybe if that asshole at Ralph's didn't fire me, I'd own my own dealership right now," Harry shrugged.

"Watch your sailor mouth around my baby, Mister," Sky playfully scolded, covering Xaviers ears with her hands. "But speaking of cars, where's the Riviera? I didn't hear it creak it's way onto the driveway," she teased, knowing how much Harry loved that car.

"Long story, but it's gone," Louis said, following Harry and Sky into the kitchen after she lifted her son onto a seat at the dining table.   
"Harry's taken up something a bit more dangerous than that old clunker."

Harry smirked as he gently parted the blinds to show off his new two-wheeled ride.

"Whoa!" Xavier gaped as he sat up straighter to see, "you have a motorcycle?! That's so cool!"

"Cool but dangerous," Sky told her son.

"Dangerous but cool," Harry corrected her jokingly.

"Sounds like your autobiography," Louis gently turned Harry's face in order to stand on his toes and peck his lips.

"Oh dear, I almost forgot how mushy it gets whenever you two are around," Sky laughed and while she cooked up some lunch for the three boys, Xavier got to know his uncles even better now that they were finally face-to-face.

He was such an interesting kid with a wild imagination and a passion for things like dinosaurs and race cars and comic books.

Louis found himself missing his younger siblings at this age, but Harry found himself missing home in general.

Seattle was forced to be their home, but California was their true home. And you know what they say, you can take the man out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the man.

Things like Louis' parents divorcing, Harry discovering the truth about his sister, and especially the day they met seemed so far in the past, but coming back home made it feel like it all happened yesterday.

The things they would do and the places they went were just bittersweet memories due to having to distance themselves, but now anything was a possibility.

If they wanted to steal another vodka bottle from the gas station, they could. If they wanted to see a movie at the drive-in, they could. If they wanted to go to the hill, they could.

After eating and talking and enjoying the company of an old friend, Harry & Louis did exactly that; zooming down the street to a spot in town that was so dear to them.

"You usually beat me up here," Louis called down to Harry from the top of the grassy hill.

"I wasn't trying to," Harry smiled up at him, taking larger strides to make it there faster. Once at the top, he moved to sit down, but not before Louis could protest.

"Wow, so you're not even going to offer me your shirt?" Louis asked, referring to the day Harry peeled his t-shirt off just so Louis wouldn't get grass stains on his jeans.

Harry laughed from his cross-legged position on the ground and reached up to take Louis' hand in his own. The younger sat beside him and took in the view before them. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and sighed on the exhale.

"What?"

"Nothing, just.. I've missed being home," Louis answered.

"Me too," Harry told him, pulling Louis closer by his shoulders.

"Do you remember much about that first day we came here?"

"Who could forget the way you drooled over my tattoos and kissed me despite saying you didn't want to be seen with me an hour beforehand."

"Hey, I was tipsy and there you were; this incredibly attractive man with no shirt on, a shit ton of ink, and a six-pack to boot," Louis said in his defense, "not to mention the way you were treating me."

"And how did I treat you?" Harry asked, curious to know what was going through Louis' mind that day.

"Like I hung the moon and put the stars in the sky," Louis giggled a little.   
"L-Like I could be the love of your life.." despite how long they had been together, Louis felt scared to say things like that.

Deep down, he was still afraid of rejection because of Eleanor, even if he knew that it would never come with Harry.

"That's because you are."

Louis looked into his eyes then, finding nothing but sincerity and adoration. In the next second, he was laying in the grass, the blades of it tickling his skin while he was trapped beneath Harry. His hands were to either side of Louis' head and the weight of his hips felt like heaven between Louis' legs and thank God they were at the top of a hill where it was hard for people to see them.

"Harry--" he gasped, a little worried that someone might catch them like this anyways.

"Shh," Harry silenced him, "you are the love of my life.." he whispered, "..Louis Tomlinson," his fingertip ghosting over Louis' lips.

"Harry.." he grinned sweetly, hands coming to play with the hair at Harry's nape and paying no mind to the scarred patch of skin his fingertips rested on.

"After all these years and all our troubles, you've stuck around and loved me all the same. Even through the petty fights and some time apart.." Harry shook his head as if he couldn't put into words how he felt but he figured it out, "you're it, baby. You're the one," Harry's got this look in his eyes like he's about to do something huge.

"What are you trying to say..?" Louis asked curiously if there was any particular reason Harry was suddenly gushing over him.

"I'm saying I want to spend the rest of my life loving and being loved by you."

"A-Are you--"

"Please.. do me the honor of letting me cherish you for a lifetime."

"Harry," Louis' crying now and he somewhat wishes he wasn't always crying, but he figures he should be allowed to cry after being proposed to.   
"Yes, please, I want that. I want it so bad," he smiled as he pulled Harry down for a series of desperate, lingering kisses.

"You don't understand how happy I am right now," Harry wrapped his arms around Louis' waist and rolled until he was laying against Harry's chest. And there's little pieces of grass in Louis' hair and his face is wet with tears, but Harry doesn't care about any of that.

All that matters to him is that Louis wants the same things he does.

"Harry Styles.. I love you," Louis sniffled, unable to keep himself from clinging to the man beneath him, "I'll never stop. Even after this life. I'll just find you in the next."

"I'll never stop finding you," Harry whispers into his hair and Louis feels on top of the world.

**\---**

"No way!!" Perrie cheered when she walked into Matty's house a week after Harry & Louis had returned to Los Angeles.

She spotted an unfamiliar motorbike in the driveway, locked to the fence, so she was curious as to who could've been there. And she was delighted to see her old friends sitting at the dining table eating breakfast with Matty, Sky, and Xavier.

"Pez!" Louis' immediately standing from his seat and rushing over to hug her, squeezing her tight and lifting her slightly.

"I've missed you, babes!" Perrie's smile grew when Harry stood to hug her as well.

"Missed you, P," Harry ruffled the top of her head the way an annoying older brother would.

Perrie laughed however, straightening out her hair and joining the family at the table.

"What took you so long to come visit?" Louis asked curiously, as she used to come over nearly every day in the past, but she hadn't been there in over a week.

"Did you not tell them?" Perrie looked at Matty & Sky with a confused expression, earning identical head shakes from the pair. She turned to Louis and brought up her left hand, showing off a sparkly diamond ring.

"Our Joshie proposed to a lady and she said yes?!" Harry teased when he spotted the jewelry.

"Where'd he do it? When?" Louis asked, extremely excited for Perrie and Josh, but also thinking about how sweetly Harry had proposed to him the week before.

"Josh surprised me with a dress that I've been wanting.. this pink one with a pearl framed collar. He left a note with it, telling me to meet him at the lounge for dinner," Perrie explains, stars in her eyes the entire time she's telling the story.

"So we have dinner and it's perfect and he hasn't stopped smiling since he pulled my chair out for me," she giggles a little and Louis and Harry are so happy to see their friend truly happy again.   
"Then when we're back in the car, he tells me how he's been saving up for something special since our anniversary and just pops out the ring."

"I knew you two were good for each other," Louis sighed happily.

"He's the love of my life," Perrie tells them.

Louis feels Harry's hand come to rest on his thigh and he truly feels Perrie's words.


	36. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perrie & Josh tie the knot.

** A/N:  
** _The sequel to WTEOY is now in progress!_

\---

"_I don't ever tell you how I really feel cause I can't find the words to say what I mean_."

**-Just A Little Bit of Your Heart by, Ariana Grande (Written by Harry Styles)**

**\---**

** _[1966]_ **

'_Welcome to the wedding of Perrie Louise Edwards & Joshua John Devine_.'

These words were painted on a mirror in golden calligraphy outside the front gate of the Los Angeles River Center & Gardens.

"Fancy," Louis hummed in content as he reached for a program from the stack sitting in front of the mirror.

"Could you imagine having a wedding like this?" Harry asked as he followed Louis through the gate and deeper into the gorgeous venue.

"My imagination is wild, but I don't know if it could ever imagine a place as magical as this," Louis said in astonishment as they took in the scenery around them. "It's like a fairytale dream."

"Our princess is finally becoming a queen," Harry smiled as he traced a fingertip over the 'P' printed on a stack of napkins. Another stack beside it housing the letter 'J'.

"It's wonderful isn't it? How such an unlikely match can become one of the strongest," Louis thought aloud as they wandered into the rose gardens unintentionally.

"You talking about them or us?" Harry teased as he ducked slightly to avoid a thorny vine in his path.

"Maybe both," Louis giggled as he lead his fiancé into a maze of red and pink and yellow and white roses. "Could we be one of them?"

"One of what?" Harry's smile was as fond as ever.

"The strong ones," Louis answered, glancing around and finding no other person in sight thanks to the thick coverage of the garden that surrounded them.

He reached forward to grip Harry's tie and pull him a little closer.

"We can be anything we want to be," Harry's heart beat nervously when Louis stood a little taller to kiss him in public.

It reminded Harry of how they were those first few months together;   
Awkward, reckless, but still so completely infatuated. Something told him they'd always be that way.

"It feels good to kiss you out here," Louis sighed dreamily against Harry's lips.   
"With the sun in our eyes and the wind on our skin."

"Yeah, it does," Harry hummed, longing for the day when public displays of affection would be completely safe and normal for them.

Louis bit his own bottom lip, his fingertips playing with Harry's lapel, "how soon 'til she walks the aisle?"

Harry brought his wrist up to look at his watch before answering, "about half an hour. Why?"

"Nothing, just.. You make that suit look _really_ good," Louis swallowed, just a _little_ bit flustered.

Harry caught the hint and gently pulled the hem of Louis' dress shirt out from where it was tucked in his slacks. Louis quickly glanced around to make sure no one was around and just as he determined there was in fact nobody, Harry slipped his hands underneath the fabric.

"Harry--" his legs feel like gelatin when he feels Harry's plump lips against his throat.   
"Th-This is still too open.." Louis warns, afraid of being caught, but always so eager to make Harry feel good.

"You said the suit looks good on me?" Harry asked rhetorically, a playful look in his eyes.

Louis nodded, his own eyes resembling hearts.   
"It looks _great_.." he insisted.

"That just won't do.." Harry tsked, taking Louis' hands in his as he began walking backward towards the way they entered the garden.   
"Come help me ruin it?" he smirked before letting go of Louis' hands and running off towards the family restroom.

Louis smirked mischievously as he quickly tucked his shirt back into his pants and ran after him.

**\---**

"Please, please, please--" Louis whined against Harry's chest from where they were hidden in the locked bathroom. Harry took him on the countertop between two sinks; Louis' slacks and his boxers were hanging carelessly around one of his ankles, brushing Harry's scarred leg as he stood between Louis' thighs.

"Please..?" Harry said so gently, pausing to let Louis finish his plea. He had Louis' pupils blown wide, his dick leaking against his stomach, and quite literally begging for it.

"_Please_ just fuck me already," he clarified, thighs shaking with the pleasure he got when the head of Harry's cock slipped over Louis' wet hole. His tongue was just there, pressing into him and stretching him the slightest bit; Now he was just holding Louis there, making him whimper and shake and cry (in a good way of course).

"Don't tease me," Louis' eyes were glassy and he reached between his legs for some relief, only to have his wrists scooped up into one of Harry's big hands. He held Louis' wrists above his head and slowly sank inside of him, making his jaw fall slack by finally giving him what he wants.   
The way Harry ate him out left him wet enough for Harry to slide in with ease.

Louis' noises were bound to be heard eventually, so Harry turned on one of the sinks with his free hand. The high pressured flow of water made enough noise to drown most of it out.

With the same hand, Harry pushed Louis' leg up until his knee was almost against his chest, his other leg mirroring subconsciously. Louis smiled brightly at the new angle, feeling full and satisfied with Harry bottomed out, even if the way the back of his head was rested against the mirror was a little uncomfortable. 

He glanced down to where they were connected, watching Harry's wet dick disappear into and then reappear from him.

"You like that don't you?" Harry let Louis' wrists go in order to hold onto the back his thighs, gently pushing Louis' knees against his chest to let him see even more.  
"Like to watch me sink inside you?"

"L-Love it," Louis nodded shamelessly, panting quietly as his hands struggled to find something to hold onto; He eventually opted for spreading his legs a little wider and gripping Harry's shoulders. He pulled the man close enough to kiss him, which allowed room for Harry to push even deeper.

Harry smiled at him, fingertips gripping his thighs a little harder as he practically pounded Louis into the countertop. His voice was like velvet in Louis' ear as he whispered filthy things to him. Louis didn't know how he managed to last so long like this, with Harry's voice and his nails lightly digging into his thighs and his dick pressing against all the right spots.

"Our suits are gonna be fucked--" Louis giggled a little when Harry quickly reached up to loosen his own tie, letting it hang lazily around his neck.

"Fine by me," Harry panted, "a bit too busy trying to make you come."

"W-What if people ask--_ah_-_-_questions?"

"Tell 'em mind their business and eat some cake," Harry answered, smiling brightly when Louis laughed into a high-pitched whine. He pulled Harry closer for another kiss and moaned into the man's mouth when he was lifted off the countertop so Harry could hold Louis up himself; Gravity and Harry's arms were now doing most of the brunt work.   
Louis' pants finally fell from around his ankle to the floor, but neither of them were worried about that.

"I can't wait to be your husband," Louis squeaked, trying his best, with Harry's brutal pace, to bounce up and down.

"Should be legal," Harry muttered and let his head fall back as he snapped his hips upward.

"Fuck the law," Louis yelped at a particularly hard thrust, but he was still taking Harry so well.

"I fucking love you," Harry laughed a little at Louis' words.

Then he was kissing Louis' addictive lips again and he felt like he was going to melt (also in a good way). Their moans could be heard and the vibrations of them were felt with each breathless kiss they shared. 

Every day with Harry that goes by, Louis finds himself falling deeper and deeper. He wasn't even sure if it was possible for him to love Harry any more than he already did, but apparently so.

"Mm.." Harry hums because he'll never stop loving the sound of his name on Louis' tongue.   
"We gotta hurry," he said against the crook of Louis' neck then whispered, "come for me, baby."

Louis slid his hands into Harry's hair and lightly tugged, then. The way Harry moaned because of it had Louis so close to the edge, he could practically taste it.

Harry took the hint and gripped Louis' hips.   
"_Oh_! That! Please that!" he cried whilst Harry fucked him with everything he had and the way Harry was manhandling him as well, had Louis sounding much louder than the sink; But at that point, neither of them really cared anymore. 

It felt too damn good to care about anything else.

Harry panted, immediately moving to lay Louis back on the countertop, his hips slapping the back of Louis' thighs relentlessly. One of his palms smacked against the mirror beside Louis' head for support.

In the last few seconds before his orgasm could hit him like a truck, Louis moved his hand to wrap his fingers around himself and as he ruined the front of his own blazer, he grumbled,   
"Sh-Shit. I knew that would happen."

"Fuck it--" Harry growled, "just throw it away."

"D-Do you know how much this c-costs?" Louis asked, overstimulated and shaky as Harry chased his orgasm before pulling out and adding to the sticky mess that was Louis' blazer.

"You've got plenty of others and plenty of money," Harry laughed breathlessly and hissed as he moved to gently wipe his dick with a paper towel before stuffing himself back into his boxers and slacks. He made sure to wash and dry his hands afterwards.

"True," Louis shrugged off the blazer before pulling his own boxers and slacks back on. He washed his hands as well and tossed the ruined suit jacket into the garbage can on their way out.

"Hey, lovebirds," Matty's voice immediately greeted them.

He was smirking and _definitely_ knew what they were doing (especially after seeing Louis toss out his blazer), but he didn't mention it.

"Pez is about to walk the aisle," his grin was so big and so proud and they all knew why; Because Perrie was the youngest girl of their group (therefore their princess) _and_, of the three engagements in their gang, Perrie and Josh were the first to actually seal the deal, despite Matty being the first of them to propose.

Matty & Sky didn't personally want a big fancy venue and hundreds of guests, but they were happy their friends were getting married in a way that made them happiest and would continue to do anything to support them.

When it would come time, Matty and Sky would be married in a private location with only their immediate family and inner circle in attendance.

As for Harry and Louis however, it was quite a bit more difficult for a lot of obvious reasons, but they'd figure something out. They always did.

The rest of the evening was dedicated to Perrie and Josh and their everlasting love.

**\---**

"_Girl, you really got me goin'. You got me so I don't know what I'm doin'.._"

Louis nearly spit his drink out when he recognized the voice serenading the afterparty because one second, Harry was '_going to take a piss_', and the next, he was up on stage with Alex Turner and his band.

He plays along to Alex's lead guitar, sharing the microphone stand with him as well.

Everyone in attendance, including Perrie & Josh, was pleasantly surprised by the spontaneous entertainment from the newlyweds' friends.

Harry made eye contact when Louis glanced up at him and it was like they say in the movies; fireworks, tingles, all of it. Louis was perhaps the most excited of any of them.

"_Yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I can't sleep at night_."

Harry had a few drinks in him, had been dancing all evening, yet he still somehow had the energy to perform for everybody.

The sun had finally gone down and tiki torches had been lit all around the garden. Regardless of the light the torches provided, the moonlight was far brighter, and the stars were as sparkly and lovely as ever.

Harry & Alex were only two lines into the song, but most of the guests were already standing from the round banquet tables to swarm the dance floor surrounding the stage and band.

"I take my eyes off him for five minutes and he becomes a rockstar," Louis shook his head and laughed fondly as he stood from his reserved seat next to Perrie and Josh (and Harry before he got up).

"That's Harry for you," Josh smiled.

"Always causing trouble," Perrie agreed with a fond smile.

Then Josh was shrugging off his blazer and standing as well.   
He glanced down at Perrie, his breathtakingly lovely bride, and offered her his hand, "dance with me?"

Perrie had been expecting to dance at their reception regardless, having changed from her gown to a gorgeous white cocktail dress.

"I thought you'd never ask," she joked, dramatically taking his hand and letting him pull her onto her feet. She grabbed the shot glass from her spot (the one she was going to drink a moment before Harry & Alex's surprise gig) and quickly knocked it back.   
"Woo!" Perrie cheered, setting the glass down and running off with her husband.

Louis' smile hadn't left his face all day and now was no exception. He loosened his tie, finished his flute of champagne (he took the responsibility of being designated driver for his drunken fiancé), and went for gold; the front row.

"_See, don't ever set me free. I always want to be by your side_," Harry pointed at his smirking fiancé, winking at him and curling his finger to invite him up.

Louis' cheeks were bright red and his heart beat with an excited flutter to it. He felt like a fan getting special treatment from their favorite singer. Because no matter how far or how long they go without each other, their love will never falter and their bond will never be broken.   
Never again.

Louis of course joined them on stage, patting Harry's bum as he strolled behind him, making the older man laugh into the mic. The guests found it funny, most not knowing the two were actually together. Their close friends and family found it _adorable_.

Alex and Harry continued to invite certain people up, including: Perrie, Josh, their parents, Anne, Gemma, Will, Matty, Sky, Xavier (adorably dressed in his little tux), and even Niall who had been nothing but enthusiastic and supportive of their group since day one.

Harry let Alex take over the rest of the vocals but continued to jam out on the guitar with him. As Alex began to play a complicated solo, Harry continued with the repeating background chords, and as he danced back to back with Louis to the beat, he was truly beaming brighter than the sun.

With that look on Harry's face, that spark in his eyes, and all those people supporting him, as Louis had always believed, Harry was really in his element. 

This was where Harry belonged; on stage, with the music, making people (including himself) feel alive.

There was one thing Louis was _definitely_ certain of:  
_**his story with Harry was far from over.**_


End file.
